Will Posting Calories in Restaurants Solve America's Obesity Crisis?

When I walked into a Dunkin' Donuts on Amsterdam Avenue in New York to grab my morning ice coffee, I was surprised to see the row of freshly baked donuts and muffins displaying their calorie content. I had forgotten the law of posting such information had gone into effect and was curious what I'd find. As I suspected, the muffins and bagels that were toted as healthy options had significantly higher caloric content than the donuts.

*Blueberry Muffin - 470 calories
*Old Fashioned Cake Donut - 160 calories

The next week, I entered a Starbucks on Broadway to order a Coffee Frappuccino Light and was surprised to see the cinnamon coffee cake displaying only 290 calories. I assumed the number would be higher and upon closer inspection it proved a lighter option than the surrounding muffins. Muffins, it seemed, were really just glorified cupcakes in disguise. I gave the banana bran muffin a cold shoulder, pitying its fate high on an undeserving pedestal, and ordered the coffee cake instead.

*Banana Bran Muffin - 400 calories
*Cinnamon Coffee Cake - 290 calories
*Coffee Frappuccino Light - 90 calories (tall size with no whip cream)

ANGRY CUSTOMERS
Stories have since run rampant about unhappy tourists and locals entering the TGI Friday's in Times Square and discovering their favorite healthy salads have more calories than a cheeseburger and fries. Allegedly a steak with less than 400 calories sold out before the dinner rush was even over. Most diners have expressed shock over the newly imposed calorie count and yearn for the old menus. I suspect everyone is secrectly wishing for menus where a club sandwich could be rationalized as low-calorie by skipping the mayo. Ignorance really is bliss.

*Pecan-crusted Chicken Salad - 1,360 calories (with all toppings and dressing)
*Cheeseburger and Fries - 1,290 calories
*5-oz Sirloin Steak - 360 calories

While some have protested that posting the calorie count is ultimately pointless and will just further America's obsession with passing on personal responsibility to someone else, others see it as progress. In my opinion, it's really no different than knowing the price of a meal before you order. I want to know what I'm spending on dinner, and I also want to know exactly what I'm putting in mouth without wondering if the salads listed under healthy options are indeed a low-calorie meal. I embrace the available calorie information as an opportunity to take responsibility for myself.

FACING THE TRUTH
Will society be forced to face the truth? It's easy to ignore debt, shove bills in desk drawers, and never check bank statements. But it's not so easy to ignore a 1,600 calorie count next to a greasy entrée. I personally would take pause and choose something a little lighter, even by a few hundred calories. But for me, it's not so much about being aware of what I'm eating, it's about keeping restaurants and cafes honest. Even an intelligent shopper might believe a particular salad or wrap is a healthy option, especially if it's listed under such headings. Restaurants will no longer be able to hide around clever catch phrases and be forced to offer a variety of low-calorie meals. But are there loopholes? I suspect they'll employ new methods including "Smaller portions available!" next to a high caloric meal, then shave off a mere 10% off the entree and serve it as a lighter option.

THE FUTURE
Will posting calories catch on in the rest of the country? I foresee the new system spreading within the next 9 to 12-months and eventually take effect in independent establishments as well as franchises. And whether it's because we live in a country of deniers or indifference, I also think we will see a shift in our perceptions on portions and food. Hopefully that will lead to a healthier lifestyle, lower health insurance bills, and a longer life.

For more information about restaurant calorie counts, please visit www.calorie-count.com.