(ObamaCare) Health law will make calorie counts hard to ignore

Associated Press ^ | March 23, 2010 | Mary Clare Jalonick

[Zakeet]

A requirement tucked into the nation's massive health care bill will make calorie counts impossible for thousands of restaurants to hide and difficult for consumers to ignore. More than 200,000 fast food and other chain restaurants will have to include calorie counts on menus, menu boards and even drive-throughs.

The new law, which applies to any restaurant with 20 or more locations, directs the Food and Drug Administration to create a new national standard for menu labeling, superseding a growing number of state and city laws. President Barack Obama was expected to sign the health care legislation Tuesday.

The idea is to make sure that customers process the calorie information as they are ordering. Many restaurants currently post nutritional information in a hallway, on a hamburger wrapper or on their Web site. The new law will make calories immediately available for most items.

[Snip]

Still, it's unclear what effect the labeling will have. In a study published last year by the online journal Health Affairs, only half of customers in poor New York City neighborhoods with high rates of obesity and diabetes noticed the calorie counts.

The accuracy of the counts could also be called into question, according to a different study.

In January, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association published a survey of 10 chain restaurants, including Wendy's and Ruby Tuesday, that said the number of calories in 29 meals or other menu items was an average of 18 percent higher than listed. The discrepancies were said to be due to variations in ingredients and portion sizes.

[Zakeet]

The FDA is going to regulate hamburger stands and impose an extra burden on businesses for your own good

[highlander_UW]

If they are going to start outlawing behavior that increases one's medical risk they could start with making homosexuality a crime then given the risk of AIDS and the enormous medical costs involved in treating it.

Now personally, I wouldn't care to legislate what people choose to do in their own homes...but since the liberals insist then I insist that they be consistent.

[GnuHere]

Wow, sounds like Big Brother requiring calorie counts even on the drive-thru menu would create such visual clutter that people will have seizures when they try to order in a hurry.

[Shaun_MD]

This whole thinking for myself thing is a real pain in the ass. Good thing there will be others to do it for me. I need a vacation.

[Williams]

It’s always all businesses with “20 or more” locations, $200,000 or more in gross sales, 50 or more employees, and so on.

As if they can afford it when in fact all you are doing is making it impossible for successful businesses to survive. And smaller businesses don’t even want to grow and become subject to all these penalties.

[Puppage]

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

--Patrick Henry, Speech to the Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775

[RandallFlagg]

Hell, this headline alone is something to mention to the, "I don't pay attention to politics," crowd.

What to say when, "What do you think about Obamacare?" is asked

(Please click the above thread to add your own)

[dforest]

Something that needs to happen asap is that people need to get out there and talk about all of the freedon killing and people killing parts of this bill. As we speak Obozo is going on tour to only pick a few things that are good and sell this bill based on that.

People need to counter with the truth. Do we really want the IRS trolling our bank accounts and having the power to remove funds without our approval? Do many people even know this is what they will be doing? I doubt it.

[Nickname]

Why would they care? Overlords eat Wagyu. Drive-thru is for their “workers.”

[RayChuang88]

Except for going to McDonald's to eat a medium-size French Fries, I haven't eaten at a fast-food restaurant in years. I tend to eat a lot of fresh fruits in season, especially during the summer (or right now with the Watsonville, CA strawberry season starting).

[VRW Conspirator]

Every aspect of your life! This will never end if the liberals have their way.

[WinMod70]

Not a terrible problem if you just add the titles “Everything Under 1000 Calories” for the low-cal items and “Everything Under 5000 Calories” for stuff that tastes good.

[Caipirabob]

Really, someone keep reading this bill. I’m sure there’s a provision for bar-coding humans in there at this rate.

[riri]

All this is just preparation for the VAT and the huge increase in food prices it will bring.

Coming to you soon...2 oz bottles of jelly for $4 and $5 loaves of bread ala Europe. $30 meals at McDonald's...

[grey_whiskers]

Publicizing everything but his Muslim faith and his birth certificate.

Cheers!

[Caipirabob]

Not a terrible problem if you just add the titles “Everything Under 1000 Calories” for the low-cal items and “Everything Under 5000 Calories” for stuff that tastes good.

Kind of kills the mood at the local Churrascaria or Italian restaurant. This is a business killer, IMHO.

The "BIG BROTHER" impact can hardly be assessed right now, but I'm thinking it will have an impact in the billions for businesses.

[STONEWALLS]

“Still, it’s unclear what effect the labeling will have.”

...it’s not unclear to me...it will be a burden on smaller family-type restaurants...big chains have nutritionists to do this....the smaller operator doesn’t have money to hire an expert to figure out the calories.

[cycle of discernment]

I have always seen the disconnect there with this big brother approach and high risk homosexual practices.

Let’s face it, even discounting the huge threat of AIDS, anal cancer is an ongoing concern, as is the surgical correction required for frequent practices impacting exit-only locations not designed for the ‘practice’.

However, in the undermining of traditional ( therefore competitive to central authority) culture, it serves the government’s purpose to NOT crack down on these practices, instead giving them full rein.

[mmichaels1970]

Will those also be in braille?

[highlander_UW]

I have always seen the disconnect there with this big brother approach and high risk homosexual practices. Let’s face it, even discounting the huge threat of AIDS, anal cancer is an ongoing concern, as is the surgical correction required for frequent practices impacting exit-only locations not designed for the ‘practice’. However, in the undermining of traditional ( therefore competitive to central authority) culture, it serves the government’s purpose to NOT crack down on these practices, instead giving them full rein.

You appear to be correct. I'm sure the same could be said for the elective surgery of altering the sexual function of transgendered people given the increased risks of unnecessary surgery.