Calorie Counts On Menus Won’t Change What Americans Eat

Brown University professor Emily Oster argues that adding calorie information to menus in restaurants may not change eating habits. She notes research that may suggest that lower-income persons, the main clients of fast food restaurants, may be the least likely to change habits whereas higher-income persons are more likely to change eating habits.

An opportunity for health communication is to find ways to better reach lower-income customers with nutrition information that is more salient and understandable. 

Of course, a calorie not a calorie and calorie-centric strategies may ironically cause weight gain.