Posted on 05/19/2009 12:06:36 PM PDT by reaganaut1
Two federal lawmakers have introduced legislation to require fast-food and other chain restaurants to post calories on menu boards and food display tags. The chains also would have to put information about calories, fats, carbohydrates and salt on printed menus.
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) on Thursday introduced the Menu Education and Labeling Act, called the MEAL Act for short. They said it would help consumers make more informed choices about the nutritional content of the food they are ordering.
The bill has the support of many consumer and health groups and emulates legislation signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September that requires chain restaurants in California to display calorie counts with each menu item. That was the nation's first state law of its kind; it won the support of the California Restaurant Assn. because it standardized requirements and preempted ordinances in Santa Clara and San Francisco.
Health advocates believe that when people see the amount of calories, fat and salt in meals before they order them, they will gravitate to more healthful selections.
"Consumers play an impossible guessing game trying to make healthier choices in restaurants," said Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "Who would guess that a large chocolate shake at McDonald's has more calories than two Big Macs or that a multigrain bagel at Dunkin' Donuts has 140 more calories than a jelly doughnut?"
The restaurant industry is pushing a competing bill. The Labeling Education and Nutrition Act, nicknamed the LEAN Act, would require chains with more than 20 units to post calorie counts. It also would nullify state and local measures now in effect and preempt future regional measures.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Still waiting for my cable bill to drop ... how dumb are people anyway.
Judging by the fact that bill has been introduced, very.
It’s all part of the bread a circuses act.
Not needed with the internet/libraries/etc... The nutrition in fast food is easy to find.
Google “mcdonald’s big mac nutrition”
http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-big-mac-i21111
More stupidity.
Those who care about their weight, know what are reasonable choices at fast food places.
Those who don’t care about their weight, would ignore labels.
What’s the point?
Doesn’t Article VII Section VI of the U.S. Constitution cover federal regulation of fast food restaurants? /s
One of these days they’ll come up with a fingernail criteria for how long our nails can be.
This federal government is soooo outside the Founder’s box.
It should be up to the private business to post this. If enough consumers stop eating at their restaurants because they do not provide the nutritional information than they are already punished. Common sense.
No, it isn’t. Don’t forget though how the left loves to label and categorize.
I saw the delay in the switch to digital television to be the same type of thing. People who were interested in television had every opportunity to get ready by the February deadline. Those that weren’t going to be ready by then, won’t be ready now.
What a waste of time.
EVERYTHING is the bailiwick of the FedZilla.
This concerns citizens health, as such, a prime responsibility of the state.
In the near future, one could envision someone over their weight being denied an item that exceeds their recommended caloric count for their meal. Hooked up to a health DB, the info could be immediately downloaded to the eatery in question, and the sensible choice chosen for that individual.
Yeah, we need to know that a burger and fries is not carrot sticks and frogurt...these idiots...what happened to “the worst economy since the Great Depression” mantra these birdbrains rammed down our throats, now they want business costs to go through the roof, do they think we won’t end up paying more??? Geez...I am just about ready to close up my little business, send everyone packing and go fishing for a living...this is insane...
It's important to the libs that they show us that they "care".
No it's all part of the complete, and total control act.
True. Some states and cities have such laws in place already.
WTF? Every fast food place into which I go already posts this information. Why is this bill even being proposed?
Another useless law that pushes up prices and adds no value.
The vast majority of people know which items on the menu are healthier and which are deadly if consumed on a frequent bases.
People who care also know that if they want to they can decrease the number of calories in any given meal simply by not eating the bread.
They can reduce sodium by ordering the fries with out salt, the sandwich without pickles and catsup.
Anyone who cares know what to order.
Nannys of the world: go away and leave us in peace. We can take care of ourselves.
And if there is room they can also squeeze on the price in small type.
I was at a fast food drive through today. I was thinking about ordering a milkshake too, but the menu board was already so crowded with everything that I couldn't find it by the time I finished the rest of my order. I probably didn't need it anyway.
Is the way of tyrants.
Where is the clause in the Constitution that says Congress shall protect us from what we eat?
These morons have got to go!
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