Costco Connection

from experts in the field:

Margo G. Wootan, D.Sc., is director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest ( www.menulabeling.org).

APRIL DEBATE UPDATE:
Are we doing enough to protect
our national wilderness?

TWO-THIRDS OF Americans struggle with their weight—and at the same time Americans are eating out at restaurants more frequently.

Most people know that restaurant foods often have more calories than home cooking, but just how much more is another story.

NO 25%

Eating out had little effect on people’s health 30 years ago, when Americans ate out infrequently. But now Americans get, on average, a third of their calories from eating out. Studies link eating out with eating more calories and obesity. It’s no wonder, when a plate of “fresh chicken and broccoli pasta,” a slice of cake or even an appetizer can each pack an entire day’s worth of calories.

YES 75%

Percentage reflects votes received by April 15, 2008.

Menu labeling could help people cut hundreds or even thousands of calories from their diet through split-second decisions at chain restaurants. A person could save 1,300 calories by ordering the fried mozzarella sticks instead of the whole fried onion appetizer or 200 calories by ordering the jalapeño pretzel instead of the glazin’ raisin.

States and cities need to pass laws because voluntary labeling isn’t working. Half of chain restaurants don’t provide any nutrition information to their customers. The other half mostly provide it on Web sites. If people had time to go home, log on to the Internet and study a Web site, they would probably just cook dinner themselves.

MARCH DEBATE RESULTS:
Should our medical records be
centralized in electronic databases?
YES: 21% NO: 79%
Percentage reflects votes received
by March 31, 2008.

In some restaurant chains, people have to hunt to find if the restaurant provides information via brochures, kiosks, on-package labeling, posters, table tents or tray liners. A recent survey of 275 restaurants that provide nutrition information showed that less than 8 percent of the customers saw the nutrition information that was available in the restaurants.

Menu labeling is a low-cost way to allow people to make informed choices about a growing and significant part of their diet and thus help to prevent obesity, heart disease and other diet-related diseases. It is also needed by people with diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol who need nutrition information to follow their doctor’s advice and manage their diseases.

Providing nutrition information at restaurants is a simple way to allow consumers to exercise personal responsibility and make informed choices for a growing part of their diet. C

from experts in the field:

Sheila Weiss, R.D., is director of nutrition policy for the National Restaurant Association ( www.restaurant.org).

WITH HEALTHY DINING a growing trend in America, restaurateurs are playing their part to ensure that customers have a wide array of menu choices. In a recent survey, nine out of 10 consumers said there are more healthy options available at sit-down restaurants now than there were a few years ago.

In addition, more restaurants are offering nutrition information to con-
sumers in new and innovative ways. The National Restaurant Association is a partner in the
launch of HealthyDiningFinder.com, a search engine that allows customers to search a database
of more than 55,000 restaurants nationwide to easily locate nutrition information for some of
their favorite eateries.

Unfortunately, some groups want to go further and require by law that every restaurant label each menu item for sodium, fat, cholesterol and calorie content on the menu board or menu. What they don’t take into account is that many restaurant menu items are not like food that comes out of a box or a can sold in grocery stores. Items are typically prepared individually. And more than seven in 10 restaurant patrons customize their meals.

Tens of thousands of restaurants across the country are already providing nutrition information to customers through kiosks, posters, signs, brochures, tray liners, packaging and customized receipts. Any nutrition labeling should allow restaurants the freedom and flexibility in selecting the format that works best for their customer preferences and business concept. The bottom line is that one size does not fit all. If the goal is to provide consumers with more information, efforts to restrict that information to menus and menu boards are misguided.

Obesity is a complex problem that cannot be solved if individuals don’t adopt healthier lifestyle choices. If there were a quick-fix solution, obesity rates would have declined after nutrition labeling for packaged foods was introduced in 1990. Instead, the obesity rate has continued to rise. And it’s important to note that only one in four meals—24 percent—are eaten outside the home.

While some critics want to force a one-size-fits-all menu labeling mandate on restaurants, we think there is a better way. America’s restaurants are forging the way for healthy dining, delivering the healthy choices that legislation and lawsuits can’t. C

Opinions expressed are those of the individuals or organizations represented and are presented to foster discussion. Costco and take no position on any Debate topic.