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FDA proposes calorie counts on menus
The Associated Press ^ | April 2, 2011 | Mary Clare Jalonick

Posted on 04/02/2011 10:11:41 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It could get harder to indulge in a double cheeseburger and fries without feeling guilty.

Menu labeling requirements proposed Friday by the Food and Drug Administration will require chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, along with bakeries, grocery stores, convenience stores and coffee chains, to clearly post the calorie count for each item on their menus.

"We've got a huge obesity problem in this country and it's due in part to excess calorie consumption outside the home," says Mike Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods. "Consumers generally when you ask them say they would prefer to have that information."

The new rules will apply to menus, both in restaurants and drive-through lanes. They will also apply to vending machines if calorie information isn't already visible on the package.

The calorie counts will apply to an estimated 280,000 establishments and could be on menus by 2012. Required as part of health overhaul legislation signed into law last year, they are designed to give restaurant diners information that has long been available on packaged goods cooked at home. The FDA estimates that a third of calories are consumed by eating out.

But don't expect calorie shock when ordering at the movie theater, where a tub of popcorn can contain well north of a thousand calories - movie theaters are exempt, along with airplanes, bowling alleys and other businesses whose primary business is not to sell food, according to the FDA. Movie theaters pushed to be left out after guidelines published last year included them.

Alcohol will also be exempted, according to the agency. Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, says that could be misleading to consumers.

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alcohol; caloriecounts; eatingout; food; menus; nannystate; obesity; restaurants
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1 posted on 04/02/2011 10:11:44 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: Eric Blair 2084; SheLion; Gabz; Hank Kerchief; 383rr; libertarian27; traviskicks; bamahead; CSM; ...

Spurred on by Obamaocare, maybe?

Nanny State PING!


2 posted on 04/02/2011 10:13:23 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Follow me on Twitter @mpetrie98)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

They really have too much time on their hands. We are paying people to sit around an come up with this nonsense.


3 posted on 04/02/2011 10:14:49 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (Obama Sucks)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

No, I’d say that the major cause of the obesity problem is high fructose corn syrup, which is forced on us by the gubbermint.


4 posted on 04/02/2011 10:15:28 AM PDT by Cicero
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Can’t remember the last time I was at a chain restaurant.
. And I’ve never been to a restaurant of any kind thinking I was going to get anything healthy. Oh well. I just went on a 10 mile run and a I am feeling some chicken fried steak with sausage gravy at my local mom and pop restaurant.


5 posted on 04/02/2011 10:17:53 AM PDT by wolfman23601
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
"We've got a huge obesity problem in this country and it's due in part to excess calorie consumption outside the home," says Mike Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods.

What we have is a huge bloated federal bureaucracy continues to attempt to stick its nose in everybody's business without any constitutional authority to do any of this crap.

What we need to have done is make a requirement that each and every Federal bureaucratic office post the number of federal tax dollars it wastes on crap like this every year.

6 posted on 04/02/2011 10:18:24 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Photobucket
7 posted on 04/02/2011 10:19:13 AM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL (***You'll anger a conservative when you tell a lie & will anger liberals when you tell the truth.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Thanks for the ping!


8 posted on 04/02/2011 10:19:20 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Wasn’t there a study out that said to the effect that even though all these nutritionals are plastered everywhere people ate the same?

This mandate would just be for chains - guess there aren’t any calories in ‘fine dining’ establishments...hmmm, so now Ruth Chris’ and the like are getting slapped with this one?

Nutritionals take all the creativity out of cooking - just belly up to the table for your soylent green portions.


9 posted on 04/02/2011 10:21:33 AM PDT by libertarian27 (Ingsoc: Department of Life, Department of Liberty, Department of Happiness)
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To: Cicero

I’ve read that HFCS, unlike most other sugars, does not dampen the appetite upon entering the bloodstream. This could explain the obesity in part (I presume regular sugar is one of the “good” kinds).


10 posted on 04/02/2011 10:21:37 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Follow me on Twitter @mpetrie98)
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To: wolfman23601

If you run 10 miles on a typical day, you’re welcome to eat ANYTHING YOU WANT, as far as I’m concerned.


11 posted on 04/02/2011 10:22:41 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Follow me on Twitter @mpetrie98)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I’m hungry, I eat. I eat what’s there or what I can get, no thought about what some paper shuffling booger-eating moron in D.C. says.


12 posted on 04/02/2011 10:23:36 AM PDT by metesky (My retirement fund is holding steady @ $.05 a can.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
"We've got a huge obesity problem in this country...

And why does this terrible epidemic so capriciously single out over-eaters???!!!

It's so unfair!

13 posted on 04/02/2011 10:24:30 AM PDT by Flycatcher (God speaks to us, through the supernal lightness of birds, in a special type of poetry.)
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To: Cicero

The major cause of obesity in this country is simple, too many calories and not enough activity.

The only way to loose weight is to practice portion control, eat more lean proteins, fruits and veggies AND increase activity/exercise.

Yes, I am a point counter and I work for Weight Watchers.


14 posted on 04/02/2011 10:26:03 AM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland (DeMint/Ryan 2012!!!!!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Here’s a nice list of restaurant chains that will get hit with this and the costs of menu nutritional writing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_restaurant_chains_in_the_United_States


15 posted on 04/02/2011 10:26:18 AM PDT by libertarian27 (Ingsoc: Department of Life, Department of Liberty, Department of Happiness)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I have a better proposal. Abolish the FDA since regulating food and drugs are not enumerated powers granted to Congress per Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution! They are powers reserved to the states or to the people!


16 posted on 04/02/2011 10:28:01 AM PDT by Defend Liberty
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
FDA proposes calorie counts on menus

Allegra proposes that the FDA be very deeply descoped.

17 posted on 04/02/2011 10:29:24 AM PDT by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Better we should all worry about our morbidly obese federal government.


18 posted on 04/02/2011 10:29:31 AM PDT by Maceman (Obama -- he's as American as nasi goreng)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Buffet restaurants are going to go loony. They'll have to hire people to measure gravy on mashed potatoes by customer.
19 posted on 04/02/2011 10:29:50 AM PDT by Glenn (iamtheresistance.org)
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To: wolfman23601

When I was a maid at a hotel...I was able to eat whatever I want...whenever I want...and not gain a pound!


20 posted on 04/02/2011 10:29:53 AM PDT by the lastbestlady (I now believe that we have two lives; the life we learn with and the life we live with after that.)
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