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stead of a big, fat cinnamon roll when I am waiting for a plane.
• Over the last decade or so eating out has gone from being a special occasion treat to something families do when they don't want to cook. As portion sizes in restaurants have gotten much larger, knowing how many calories you are consuming has taken on a new urgency. "The bigger the portion size, the more you eat," Wootan says. Consumers are sold on the proposition that big servings mean you're getting more value for your money.
• Some early studies evaluating labeling in New York were too small to say whether the labels were changing eating behavior. Larger studies have been more conclusive. A large study in New York found that one in six people purchased 100 fewer calories after labeling took effect.
• A Stanford University study looking at labels on products sold at Starbucks found they had no effect on beverage consumption but contributed to a 14 percent decrease in consumption of other foods. In other words, customers were not going to give up on that 470-calorie white chocolate mocha but reconsidered their food choice before buying a 480-calorie old fashioned glazed donut.
• When it comes to beverages, Wootan says, customers had a good sense of the calories they contained, but they got the same thing every day. Habit seemed to trump nutrition. It was a different story with other foods. "They were more flexible with food."
• The labeling has prompted sellers to be more aware of their product formulations, too, cutting down calories where they can. A Starbucks store manager told me the company began using 2 percent instead of whole milk in its drinks and took an apple fritter with some 600 calories off the menu when the labeling law took effect.
• The labels don't force consumers to do anything or change the way they eat. They simply provide information that lets them know what they are eating and helps signal that too many calories may contribute to serious health conditions.
• Just knowing that McDonalds Filet-o-Fish has 390 calories while a Southwest salad with grilled chicken has only 290 might lead to healthier choices. But the calorie labels still let you have it your way.
• Editor's note: The Rural Health News Service is funded by a grant from The Commonwealth Fund and distributed through the Nebraska Press Association Foundation, the Colorado Press Association and the South Dakota Newspaper Association.