Nutrition Labeling A Necessity on Restaurant Menus Donna

Nutrition Labeling A Necessity on Restaurant Menus Donna Watson, MPH Walden University Student PUBH 6165 -4 July 19, 2009

Purpose …‘to inform’… �Restaurant Owners of the importance of nutritional labeling �Healthy Choices leads to better health �Eating Out and health concerns �Positive Effects of Nutritional Labeling �Policy and Law Changes �Additional Information Resources

Healthy Choices … Better Health �Obesity is a growing epidemic in the USA (Hwang & Lorenzen, 2008) �Effects 30% of Adults and 12% of school-aged children �More than 300, 000 die from obesity/year �More than $100 billion spent on diet related diseases �Primary contributor ~ eating out (The Nat’l Restaurant Assoc, 2006; AARP, 2004) � 48% of food dollars spent on outside eating �Potential restaurant growth ~ potential solution � AARP. org, (2004). Nutrition labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants. July 2004. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www. aarp. org/research/healthquality. � Hwang, J. & Lorenzen, C. (2008). Effective nutrition labeling of restaurant menu and pricing of healthy menu. Blackwell Publishing Journal of Foodservice, 19, 270 -276. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www 3. interscience. wiley. com/journal/12145225 � The National Restaurant Association. (2006). Restaurant Industry Fact Sheet. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www. restaurant. org/research/ind_glance. cfm.

Positive Effects … �Nutritional Labeling on the Menu �Beneficial to the Restaurateurs and the Customer (Hwong & Lorenzen, 2008) �Enhances customer confidence �Improves customer’s image of source of information �Increases Revenue �Perception of a greater value �Willing to pay � Hwang, J. & Lorenzen, C. (2008). Effective nutrition labeling of restaurant menu and pricing of healthy menu. Blackwell Publishing Journal of Foodservice, 19, 270 -276. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www 3. interscience. wiley. com/journal/12145225

Policy and Law Issues … �The Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act of 2009 (National Restaurant Association, 2009) �Leader ~ National Restaurant Association �Requires a uniform nutritional labeling standard �Provides a reasonable range of flexibility �Set of guidelines in nutrition calculating �Provides legal protection � The National Restaurant Association (2009). Public policy issue briefs. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www. restaurant. org/government/issues/.

In Conclusion … �Nutrition labeling on the menu, will �Promote healthy menu choices �Decrease the prevalence of obesity-related issues �Enhance confidence and credibility of sources �Increase revenue �Abide by the law

Additional Resources … �For more research and information: �The American Dietetic Association, www. eatright. org �Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), www. nationalnutritionstandards. com �The Coalition for Response Nutrition Information (CRNI), www. cspinet. org �For labeling assistance: �Anresco Laboratories, www. anresco. com �Consolidated Label Company, www. consolidatedlabel. com

Reference List � AARP. org, (2004). Nutrition labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants. July 2004. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www. aarp. org/research/healthquality. � Hwang, J. & Lorenzen, C. (2008). Effective nutrition labeling of restaurant menu and pricing of healthy menu. Blackwell Publishing Journal of Foodservice, 19, 270 -276. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www 3. interscience. wiley. com/journal/12145225 � The National Restaurant Association. (2006). Restaurant Industry Fact Sheet. Accessed on July 15, 2009 from http: //www. restaurant. org/research/ind_glance. cfm.