Opinion

Calorie labeling for restaurants long overdue

An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. —  The recommended food intake for sedentary adults is 1,800-2,400 calories per day, depending on a range of factors including age, gender and height. For moderately active adults it is about 2,000-2,800 calories.

One fast food lunch can total 1,200 calories or more, and a restaurant night out with drinks and desserts can run 4,000-5,000 calories. So, it is not hard to understand why “eating out” plays a big role in the American obesity crisis.

Today, almost two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and more than 30 percent are considered obese. Probably few set out to carry that extra weight it just happened over time with less active jobs and lifestyles and more high-calorie foods.

The restaurant industry is not responsible for all of those calories there is plenty of junk food at the grocery store. But grocery labeling with calorie information has been in place for years, and until recently, dining out was more of a guessing game. That is changing.

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration detailed new rules that will require restaurants and other sellers of prepared foods to post the calorie content of food “clearly and conspicuously” on their menus, menu boards and displays. The rules only affect companies with 20 or more locations, and the businesses have until November 2015 to comply.

It is an important step in the right direction…

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