When you go to a fast-food restaurant, calories may not be top of mind. But if the menu provides that dose of reality, you might make better choices, a recent study in JAMA Network Open suggests.
As part of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, U.S. restaurant chains are required to post calorie counts on their menus and menu boards. The idea behind the policy was that, armed with calorie information, consumers might pass on the super-size fries or extra cheese.
The question has been, is it working? The latest study adds to the growing evidence that the answer is yes—to a modest degree. Researchers found that on average, patrons at Taco Bell ate 25 fewer calories per purchase, thanks to menu calorie labels.
That’s clearly not a huge difference. But, as the researchers point out, menu calorie counts seem roughly as effective as similar measures that have been studied—such as providing calorie information on prepared foods sold at supermarkets or in workplace cafeterias. And those small changes in what people eat on a regular basis can add up.
Though prior studies have reported mixed results, a 2019 study in BMJ of 104 restaurants found that implementing calorie labeling was associated with a 60-calorie reduction per transaction, and a Tufts study in BMJ Open in 2023 used mathematical modeling to estimate that small calorie savings may translate into tens of thousands of fewer cases of obesity-related cancers, cardiovascular events, and diabetes in the U.S. population.
Still, the best way to avoid fast-food calories (not to mention sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar) is to limit your fast-food trips.
The JAMA study took advantage of the fact that menu calorie labeling was rolled out in a patchwork fashion across the country. The federal law, which was finalized in 2014, required chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to start providing calorie information by 2018. But before that, some U.S. cities, counties, and states had implemented their own regulations on the matter—as far back as 2008. Therefore, the researchers were able to compare restaurants from the same chain (Taco Bell) that were either subject or not subject to those local policies. In all, they analyzed purchases at over 2,300 Taco Bell locations between 2007 and 2014; that included 474 locations with menu calorie counts.
Over two years, the study found, customers at locations with menu calorie labeling purchased 25 fewer calories, on average, versus those at locations with no labeling. Calorie counts seemed to make the biggest difference at breakfast—slicing 75 calories from the average meal—but had no impact on late-night purchases. That might reflect differences in the health-consciousness of the breakfast and midnight-snack crowds, the researchers speculated.
Of course, Taco Bell—like other fast-food chains—is not renowned for its healthy fare. And the bigger point is that customers still averaged over 1,000 calories per purchase, whether menus provided calorie information or not. That illustrates just how many calories can be lurking in grab-and-go meals. Plus, the same can be true of meals at other types of restaurants, where calorie information may not be available at all.
The takeaway: Though the calorie savings seen in the study were small, they reflect averages. For individuals who compare calories at chain restaurants, there are bigger savings to be had at each meal. For instance, choose the Cheese Quesadilla (470 calories) over the Grilled Cheese Burrito (720) at Taco Bell and you will save 250 calories (plus 16 grams of fat and 500 milligrams of sodium). Choose a side of Black Beans (50 calories) over the Nacho Fries (320 calories) and you will save an additional 270 calories (and get a lot more fiber). In other words, you can enjoy the convenience and simple pleasure of eating out, but come home with less damage done to your waistline and overall health.
