Mandatory calorie counts still stalled

Until this week, I've never thought of the Affordable Care Act when I choose nuggets over the Chik-Fil-A sandwich.

170 calories more than nuggets

That lapse is somewhat understandable.  Health insurance requirements have grabbed the headlines,  while the mandate for restaurant chains to list calories on their menus,  approved with the rest of  "Obamacare"  in 2010,  remains stalled in FDA rule-making.  As the Associated Press recently reported,  the debate has gotten  "extremely thorny"  when it comes to ruling on which businesses must display calorie counts.

The latest post from the Food and Drug Administration forecasts that rules will be ready at the end of 2014,  taking effect six months later for restaurants and a year later for vending machines,  "although input on these effective dates is welcome."

Mandatory nutrition information is part of the push to make us healthier in ways that go beyond providing insurance and encouraging preventive medical care  (depending on your political perspective,  it may also be another sign of government meddling in private business and personal choice).

Will it work?  The evidence so far is based on the growing number of restaurants that voluntarily display calories.  Marion Nestle's Food Politics blog steered me to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study which found,  not surprisingly,  that people who have healthier eating habits to start with are more likely than others to notice and use that information.

As a woman who keeps fresh vegetables at home and tries not to rely too heavily on eating out  (FAFH,  or food away from home,  in USDA parlance),  I fit the profile of someone who benefits from visible calorie counts.  I also illustrate what Duke researchers concluded last year:  It helps to have the information in advance,  rather than see it for the first time when you walk in hungry  (see Karen Garloch's round-up of that and other research on the topic last summer).

I did Weight Watchers several years ago,  when it was harder to find the calorie,  fat and fiber data needed to calculate points.  After searching the internet I was stunned to learn how fattening many of my restaurant meals were,  even when I thought I was going light.  I narrowed my list to a very few options with reasonable calorie counts for someone of my age and activity level.  One was eight Chik-Fil-A nuggets (270 calories),  a fruit cup  (50) and unsweet tea.

540 calories? Aww ...

These days the calories are visible at a glance.  I can't say I've never lapsed,  but it helps to see that 400-calorie label on the waffle fries when they're calling my name.

But it seems my vision can also be selective.  I frequently use calories on the Panera menu to choose a meal,  but until this week I'd have sworn they weren't listed for pastries.  I took a close look on my afternoon coffee walk,  and yikes!  I guess those 410-calorie chocolate pastries and 540-calorie orange scones need to stop following me home.