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The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene approved a regulation that requires that calorie information be posted on menu boards for restaurant chains with 15 or more stores nationally. This regulation went into effect in 2008. The regulation is intended to increase prominence of calorie information at point-of-purchase to help consumers make healthier food choices, and may also encourage chains to reformulate menu items, offer healthier items and change promotional materials to emphasize healthier options. In this research, investigators will conduct a survey of customers at fast-food restaurants pre-post enforcement of calorie labeling regulations. Survey data will be used to assess: (1) changes in the percentage of customers that report seeing information and (2) changes in purchasing as a result of calorie information. Subgroup analyses, as appropriate, will include demographics, chain and calorie information posting mode. In addition, a complimentary analysis will examine pre-post differences in menu offerings at the top 25 fast-food chains.
Start Date: November 2008
ID #: 65429
Principal Investigator: Tamara Dumanovsky, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator: Cathy Nonas, MS, RD, CDE
Organization: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Funding Round: Rapid-Response Round 1
Age Group: Adults and Families
Keywords: Fast food, Food formulation, Food outlet, In-store marketing, Menu Labeling, Point-of-decision prompts, Restaurant, Urban
Focus Area: Food Marketing
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
State: New York
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