Journal article
Calorie labeling, Fast food purchasing and restaurant visits
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), v 21(11), pp 2172-2179
Nov 2013
PMID: 24136905
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Objective
Obesity is a pressing public health problem without proven population‐wide solutions. Researchers sought to determine whether a city‐mandated policy requiring calorie labeling at fast food restaurants was associated with consumer awareness of labels, calories purchased and fast food restaurant visits.
Design and Methods
Difference‐in‐differences design, with data collected from consumers outside fast food restaurants and via a random digit dial telephone survey, before (December 2009) and after (June 2010) labeling in Philadelphia (which implemented mandatory labeling) and Baltimore (matched comparison city). Measures included: self‐reported use of calorie information, calories purchased determined via fast food receipts, and self‐reported weekly fast‐food visits.
Results
The consumer sample was predominantly Black (71%), and high school educated (62%). Postlabeling, 38% of Philadelphia consumers noticed the calorie labels for a 33% point (P < 0.001) increase relative to Baltimore. Calories purchased and number of fast food visits did not change in either city over time.
Conclusions
While some consumers report noticing and using calorie information, no population level changes were noted in calories purchased or fast food visits. Other controlled studies are needed to examine the longer term impact of labeling as it becomes national law.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Calorie labeling, Fast food purchasing and restaurant visits
- Creators
- Brian Elbel - New York UniversityTod Mijanovich - New York UniversityL. Beth Dixon - New York UniversityCourtney Abrams - New York University School of MedicineBeth Weitzman - New York UniversityRogan Kersh - Wake Forest UniversityAmy H Auchincloss - Drexel University School of Public HealthGbenga Ogedegbe - New York University School of Medicine
- Publication Details
- Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), v 21(11), pp 2172-2179
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 8
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000326637400003
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84887181307
- Other Identifier
- 991014877769104721
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Nutrition & Dietetics