Should menus carry calorie information?

A bill due to be proposed in the US Congress could lead to fast food restaurants having to include nutritional information on their menus.

Although many chains already provide the information, few display it publicly for customers to see.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, almost two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese,

Should menus carry calorie information? Will it make a difference?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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The following comments reflect the balance of views we have received:

Obviously there is a problem so doing nothing doesn't seem like a viable solution. I think displaying calories will make people a little more aware. Right now most people don't think about it at all so it has the potential to make a real impact.
Isaac, Canada

Calorie listings on a menu are not going to stop those who don't care Matt, USA

At what point does the government stop regulating what should be personal responsibility and common sense? People who are responsible enough with their weight will know intuitively what is healthy and what is not. Calorie listings on a menu are not going to stop those who don't care. Some people are going to eat whatever they want, no matter the consequences.
Matt, USA

Although I am not against government interference in peoples' lives, this one idea is purely ridiculous. It's a costly imposition on businesses that have no control over their customer's appetites and habits. I suggest instead of a menu, restaurants put a mirror on the menu. This way when a customer orders food, he/she can see how much food they really need to eat in order to maintain their weight.
Joao, USA

We live in an over-indulgent society where people want to live to excesses in all areas, including food consumption. The average person consequently does not want to be reminded of the high fat and calories that are in the fast food that they eat. That is precisely why it needs to be posted.
Julie, USA

At first I thought 'no need'. We all know to stay away from sugars and fats and to eat more fruit and veg, lean meat, etc. But living in the States for the past year, I am finding myself increasingly checking food labels. Everything here has a much higher sugar and fat content than I am used to in Britain, breads, meats, sauces, everything. I make much more of an effort with my diet than I used to. The benefit of knowing how much sugar and grease is in my food has made us re-discover home cooking as opposed to buying prepared stuff or going out. So bring on the food labels! Maybe more people will be appalled at how we are being fed and will go back to more traditional ways.
Raluca, UK/currently in US

This information has always been available to those that care to find it Jake, England

I train most days in the gym and find nutritional information vital to ensure that I am eating enough calories to maintain my body-weight. This information has always been available to those that care to find it.
Jake, England

Don't be ridiculous! Everyone knows that if they go to a fast-food outlet, they are going to get a meal that is high in fat and calories, and less healthy than almost any other option!
Sarah, UK

In principle it seems a reasonable idea where food portions are standardised and it would be possible to implement but I suspect that people will eat the food anyway and that generally reducing salt, sugar and the fat content in food would be far more effective.
Keith, England

For goodness sake, just how stupid and litigious has the world become? It's very simple. If you eat a balanced diet and exercise every day (walking to work is enough) then you will not get fat. If you eat at McDonalds or Burger King every day, you will get fat. This is so intrinsically obvious that I shouldn't have to point it out. But evidently I do.

What we eat, together with smoking and drinking, is a personal choice, and thanks to freedom of information, an informed choice. So anyone who is trying to sue a fast food chain, tobacco company or brewer is publicly admitting their own gross stupidity, and by that maxim alone should lose their case.
Lloyd Evans, UK

It should be a decision made by each restaurant, not enforced by legislation Kulu,UK

I think it should be a decision made by each restaurant, not enforced by legislation. Eating habits are formed from early childhood and it is the individual's responsibility to modify those habits where appropriate and to try and guide their children towards healthy eating. Restaurants are simply trying to provide people with what they want to eat. If they didn't they would go out of business.
Kulu,UK

Do Americans need their hands holding so much they need to be told when they are eating unhealthy food? Ridiculous - TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your own actions! Fatty foods make you fat. A balanced diet doesn't. Can I have a job in Congress please?
Simon W,England

I think it's a good idea, because I do like to know the details of what I'm eating, but I'm not at all convinced that it will affect obesity levels in any way. It's not as if obese Americans will read the nutritional information in MacDonald's and suddenly say "oh my, these things are bad for us, we'd better stop eating them!"
Jon, UK

Fast or junk food does not make you fat. Eating too much of it and not getting a balanced diet does. Is there really anyone who does not know this already? It seems to be another case of the blame culture; people should start taking responsibility for their own actions. If you are fat, eat less. Simple really.
John G.,U.K.

Those who are overweight love their food and they know it makes them fat, but they eat it anyway, because it tastes good. Don't blame the manufacturers, blame yourselves, if you are fat. I know when I am eating junk food - I do not need the nutritional facts.
F. Williamson, England

Those people who don't care much about the calorie content of what they're eating can just ignore it Janet Paulin, Philippines/Australia

I totally agree that menus should carry calorie information. Everybody has a right to know to the fullest extent exactly what is it they are buying and eating. Those people who don't care much about the calorie content of what they're eating can just ignore it. There are many people who are struggling to lose weight and stay healthy, and being made aware of the calorie content of their food will help them make more informed decisions about what they decide to eat.
Janet Paulin, Philippines/Australia

I can't help feeling, however good the intention of this is; that it seems too little too late, and doesn't get to the cause of the problem. However, it's a start, and a step in the right direction.
Chris,England

Will it really make a difference? Probably not. People will eat what they want to eat, and a calorie menu will not deter them.
Victoria,USA

There will always be people who do not have the willpower to resist fast food Ruth, Canada

For the sake of diabetics and others with specific dietary needs, it's good that the food chains are going to be readily posting the nutritional information in the restaurant. Having said that, however, there should be more emphasis on reducing the fat content of their food instead of simply displaying it. There will always be people who do not have the willpower to resist fast food, so we may as well make it healthier for them.
Ruth, Canada

As far as I know, our grandfathers never counted calories to stay healthy. To stay healthy, it was a simple choice sometimes made out of necessity - hard work and natural exercises like walking, cycling etc.
Vinay Chitnis, Pune, India

The number of calories itself is not enough knowledge to maintain a healthy diet. What about the food pyramid and encouraging people to eat more fruits and vegetables? Isn't it also important to eat a meal that is balanced and not just avoids excess calories? I think a lot of people still make dietary decisions based on taste, not long-term health. Government intervention won't really make a difference.
Anthony, Chicago, IL, USA

Eliminating cheese and mayo from any fast food item already cuts out a lot of fat. I can recall not so long ago that cheese used to be an extra item that had to be asked for now it's automatically on. A person has to specially ask NOT to have it. These are two small steps to insure a lower calorie meal.
Jennifer, USA

It makes more sense to have Congress legislate portion size Ajana, Singapore

Another example of the dumbing down of the world. If people really want to know the calorific value of food there are plenty of books and websites to tell them. Does Congress think that folks who can't be bothered to look up these things will be bothered to read the nutritional values on a menu? After a visit to the average US restaurant, it's clear the main concern of patrons is that the food is cheap and there's lots of it. It makes more sense to have Congress legislate portion size which is where there is a big (pun intended) problem. But I know realistically it won't work.
Ajana, Singapore

Yes menus should carry calorie information as it will make a difference for people who already write to restaurants and coffee-house chains with those inquiries and are never answered.
Laura Smedley, USA

This is getting ridiculous! When I go out to eat, it is for pleasure, not because I'm too lazy to cook a low-fat, heart-healthy meal at home. Even still, I can estimate calories and fat and live with one night of "cheating." We're so uptight about weight and looking for a company or product to blame. It is truly pathetic.
Bettina Hollis, USA

A step in the right direction Rachel, USA/ UK

This is a step in the right direction - people need this information in order to make informed decisions. Alcohol carries warnings, tobacco carries warnings, it makes sense that the least they can do is list the full nutritional chart on the packages.
Rachel, USA (ex UK)

Wonderful news. Everyone can now make informed decisions. The best part of this is that the fast food business will finally have to declare the nutritional value (or lack of) of their offerings. Finally the myths of fast food nutrition can be dispelled forever, and our children, hopefully, will realise that there are better options for their dietary requirements.
David Turner, Indonesia/ UK

Sounds like a great idea. The 'Subway' chain already has the calorie and fat content of their sandwiches posted in the restaurant. I have found it quite useful in making healthy choices; often it is not intuitive which is the lower calorie option, even to a scientist and experienced calorie counter like myself. This type of labelling in the restaurant allows customers to make an informed decision on the spot.
Maria, USA

Please don't make me feel guilty when I take a break from my diet Caron, England

NO - I go out for a meal to enjoy it not to count the calories. By all means have the information available, but please don't make me feel guilty when I take a break from my diet.
Caron, England

Absolutely. I think it is appalling that this legislation has not been in place for years already. Almost every other so-called "fast-foods" (ie. buritos, rice bowls, etc) at markets have explicit calorie information. The fact that these fast food chains have not implemented this as a standard in all their stores, shows me that they are well aware of the harmful high calorie and fat filled items being dangerous and perhaps unappealing to the average consumer.
Cameron, USA

The idea of personal responsibility is not being promoted if the US Government intervenes with this. I have no sympathy for people who are too lazy or ignorant to get this information for themselves when it is readily available. Has it come to the point where people must be practically hit upside the head with information so that they pay attention to what they're doing with themselves?
Tom, USA

While this may be a first step to educating the public as to the nutritional content of their food, we still do not know where it came from. The use of hormone injected beef, and genetically modified organisms is assumed, and will continue until labelling is forced on them. It is ridiculous to try to tell the public that these products do not also have negative effects while we have no idea what is being consumed!
Rahmzi, USA

There will still be those who cannot control their cravings Peter W. Pearce, USA/UK

It is about time, that the individual's responsibility for his own well being, stops being usurped. We have mindless people suing the food chains, when their own greed is at the forefront of their predicament. It would not matter if every single calorie equivalent were displayed on a menu, there will still be those who cannot control their cravings.
Peter W. Pearce, USA/UK

List the calories if you want but I don't see the point. I have never paid attention to calories, fat content or anything else. I have kept myself thin (and yes, I do have to work at it) by decreasing the overall amount of everything I eat whenever I have noticed my weight edging up. It has always been pretty obvious to me that too much "fast food" or excessively large portions of regular food will cause my weight to increase and I take steps to avoid such excesses. Why other people are unable to follow this simple reasoning escapes me.
T. Lawry, USA

Food vendors should absolutely be required to have nutritional information on menus and/or packaging. In addition to serving size, calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, carbohydrates and protein, a glucose index should also be included. People need to know what they are eating so that can make informed choices.
Stephanie Macari, USA

This is unnecessary, paternalistic government meddling. All the nutrition information is readily available on the food chains' web sites as well as on cards in the restaurants. If people can't do it on their own they have no one to blame but their lazy selves.
Patrick, USA

I don't know where Patrick has been dining out, but I have not seen restaurants, aside from fast food chains, readily provide nutritional information on their menus, on separate cards, or on their web sites, unless they are highlighting their "light" entrees. Even then, full nutritional information is rarely disclosed. I think this legislation is long overdue. People have the right to know what is in their food, and many have very serious health reasons for requiring this information.
Gretchen, USA

It's about time that our legislators step up to the "plate" and make a difference for nutritional sanity. People are crazy to believe that they can eat fast food with impunity. This will at least show them the reality of what they are putting in their bodies.
Darrell Dorsey, USA