Of Soda Bans and McDonald's Calories

McDonald's has announced that starting this week, it will voluntarily begin posting the calorie content of its food on the menu for all customers to see. Under the health care reform bill, all restaurant chains with more than 20 locations will be required to post their calorie information, so McDonald's seems to be putting the requirement into place early. The theory behind posting calorie information is that consumers will make better decisions and companies will have incentive to produce healthier products, thereby reducing societal health problems related to obesity and diabetes. This makes perfect sense to me- in New York City, where local law requires the posting of calorie information, seeing the calorie counts had a big impact on my food purchases. But some studies have shown no difference in food purchases when laws like this are implemented. Why is that? Are consumers already aware of and indifferent to the high caloric content of their food? And what does McDonald's hope to gain by posting this information?

The other big food-related story this week was that New York City has added yet another controversial law to its books. The city has already banned trans-fats and requires calorie listings, but this week it banned sodas over 16 oz from being sold by restaurants, cafeterias, and concession stands. Supporters call it an important step in the war against obesity, but many people feel the law is too strict, and infringes on their rights as consumers. On the one hand, there is really no good reason to drink soda, and it is a major source of sugar with no nutritional benefits. Generally, I tend to support New York's tough food laws- the government, after all, has a vested interest in a healthy population. And it isn't as though people are being banned from drinking soda all together, or can't get more than 16oz of it if they feel so compelled. It has simply been made more inconvenient to do so. On the other hand, I can see why people get nervous about the government making a law which effects their personal, day-to-day decisions.