For the consumer who wishes to make an informed decision regarding food consumption, caloric content information of prepared foods has not been previously readily available. To address this problem, it is now more important than ever that we provide consumers with the nutrition information needed to select better menu options. The good news is that the new health reform bill includes a provision that will require calorie labeling on chain restaurant menus, menu boards and drive-through displays. It also requires these establishments to provide additional nutrition information in the restaurant upon request. The availability of this information restores the freedom of choice for Americans who are following a heart healthy diet plan.
The American Heart Association (AHA) strongly believes the new legislation is a huge win for Americans, because educated consumers, armed with the right nutrition information, are better prepared to make informed dining decisions. In fact, some studies have shown that nutrition information on menus makes a significant impact on food purchases by prompting customers to choose lower calorie food and beverage selections and spurring the industry to create healthier menu offerings. In order to take full advantage of these measures, AHA supports further consumer education to help people know their energy needs and understand healthy food and beverage serving sizes. The association emphasizes a comprehensive set of strategies, including menu labeling, to address the importance of healthy eating in all environments and regular physical activity to improve cardiovascular health.
AHA commends Congress and the Administration for adopting public policy that will provide essential nutrition information in restaurants. We remain deeply committed to working with lawmakers and our partners to implement the new menu labeling provision, supporting state and local level policies to help improve industry standards and educate consumers regarding the best ways to use the new information that menu labeling will make available.
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