In 2009, King County, Wash., implemented a menu-labeling regulation that requires chain restaurants to provide calorie, saturated fat, carbohydrate, and sodium information. This study examines population-level changes in menu-labeling awareness (i.e., seeing calorie information) and use (i.e., using calorie information) before and after policy implementation in King County. Researchers analyzed 2008 through 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems data from 3,132 English-speaking King County residents ages 18 years and older who reported eating at a regulated chain restaurant. They found that after implementation of the regulation, the proportion of customers who saw and used calorie information on menus tripled (8.1% to 24.8%). White, higher-income, and obese respondents were more likely to see calorie information; and women, higher-income groups, and those eating at a fast-food chain restaurant versus a sit-down chain restaurant were more likely to use the calorie information.
Changes in Awareness and Use of Calorie Information After Mandatory Menu Labeling in Restaurants in King County, Washington
Related Research
June 2013
Menu Labeling Regulations and Calories Purchased at Chain Restaurants
This article evaluates the impact of a menu labeling regulation in King County, Wash., on calories purchased and awareness and use of labels six and 18 months after implementation. Like prior studies, researchers found no significant changes in calories purchased six months after implementation, but found a modest decrease in … More
November 2012
Nutrition-Labeling Regulation Impacts on Restaurant Environments
This article discusses results of a study that examined whether restaurant environments changed as a result of a newly implemented restaurant nutrition-labeling regulation in King County, Wash., compared over a similar length of time to restaurants in Multnomah County, Ore., where nutrition-labeling was not implemented. Researchers found that there was … More
August 2012
Energy, Saturated Fat, and Sodium Were Lower in Entrees at Chain Restaurants at 18 Months Compared with 6 Months Following the Implementation of Mandatory Menu Labeling Regulation in King County, Washington
This study examined the energy, saturated fat, and sodium content of entrées at national chain restaurants subject to menu labeling regulations in King County, Washington, at six and 18 months after the implementation of the regulation. Researchers evaluated the nutrition content of entrées at 11 sit-down restaurants and 26 quick-serve … More
October 2008
Evaluating the Impact of Point-of-Purchase Nutrition Information at Chain Restaurants
In March 2008, the King County Board of Health approved the second restaurant nutrition information regulation in the nation, requiring chain restaurants to provide information on calories, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and sodium on menus and calories on menu boards by January 1, 2009, and allowing for specified methods “equivalent” to … More
January 2010
Assessing the Long-Term Impact of Labeling Menus with Information on Calories and Nutrition
The impact of menu labeling is unclear. A menu labeling law (beginning 1/1/09) in Seattle-King County, WA provides an opportunity to evaluate policy effectiveness. The Seattle-King County policy is different from regulations elsewhere in two important ways. First, not only do restaurants need to have calorie labels, they have to … More