Posted on 04/16/2008 10:52:44 AM PDT by SmithL
New York (AP) -- A federal judge on Wednesday upheld a city regulation requiring calories to be posted on the menu boards of some chain restaurants, calling the rule a reasonable approach to health officials' goal of reducing obesity.
The judge turned back a challenge from the New York State Restaurant Association, a voice for the food service industry.
"It seems reasonable to expect that some consumers will use the information disclosed ... to select lower calorie meals ... and these choices will lead to a lower incidence of obesity," U.S. District Judge Richard Holwell said.
New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene believes the regulation, which takes effect Monday, will prevent 130,000 New Yorkers from becoming obese and will stop another 30,000 from developing diabetes over the next five years.
"We just want people to have the information available to them to make healthful decisions," said health department spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti.
The new rule applies to restaurants in the city that are part of chains with at least 15 outlets across the country. That includes fast-food places like McDonald's and such sit-down chains such as Olive Garden and T.G.I. Friday's.
The city Board of Health voted unanimously in January to approve the regulation, a new version of a rule that had been struck down by a judge last year after a challenge from the restaurant association.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
And how do you propose that restaurants determine the calorie count of a particular dish?
Why not just give the businesses that volunteer to do so a tax cut.
“New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene believes the regulation, which takes effect Monday, will prevent 130,000 New Yorkers from becoming obese and will stop another 30,000 from developing diabetes over the next five years. “
And where do they get these figures??
This should go under the heading of “dumb white guys”
Of which there seems to be no end to.
If I tell....................I'll get banned.
Nexst I suppose that people who cook and bake at home will have to provide calorie counts and other nutritional information for family members!
Grandmothers will be arrested for baking chocolate chip cookies with their grandchildren!
Dear Sir Or Madam, do you have a license to order some fries to go with that cheeseburger?
Big Brother Loves You, but only if you don’t cost money.
Mame do you have a license to operate that Kitchen in your home?
I read labels so this is useful information to me. I look it up online from time to time.
Why not? Because it is not universally applied. Some restaurants are more equal than others.
Those ritzy posh restaurants should be required to include the fat and calorie count of their dressings, desserts, etc. Plus the competition will be interested to learn their secret ingredients.
Thank You for your order. It has been sent to the Lab and you should receive your meal in 6-8 weeks.
I suspect some chains like TGIF will simply leave.
Have you talked to any non-chain restaurants about providing this sort of information?
Why should it take a law to require compliance? Why not have commercial support of the business that do business as you request?
The same way that Democrats create budgets: "GUESS"
If it is for our good, shouldn't ALL restaurants be required to do this?
Just more liberal do-goodism that doesn't really do any good.
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