There are countless reports suggesting what people should eat and how much calories should be consumed per meal and per day. However, a new study suggests that recommending calories may not convince an individual to take in fewer calories at restaurants.
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University found when people were given calories suggestions at McDonald's, they consumed no fewer calories than if they were given no calories advice at all, according to the Huffington Post. The suggestions included calories per meal and calories per day.
"There have been high hopes that menu labeling could be a key tool to help combat high obesity levels in this country, and many people do appreciate having that information available," study researcher Julie Downs, said in a statement, according to the Huffington Post.
Downs is an associate research professor of social and decision sciences in the University's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health. It included 1,121 adults who dined during lunchtime at two New York City McDonald's restaurants. The participants were told how much calorie intake was allowed per day and per meal. Some were given no calories recommendations at all.
About 2,400 calories for men were allowed per day. Recommended calories per meal included 650 calories for women and 800 calories for men. Researchers timed their study so that they could gather data prior to and following 2008 menu labeling regulations.
Researchers asked the participants to answer a survey. Questions included whether they counted calories per meal and how many calories they thought a doctor or nutritionist would recommend for a daily diet.
"Unfortunately, this approach doesn't appear to be reduce consumption very much, even we give consumers what policymakers thought might help: some guidance for how many calories they should be eating," Downs said.
Providing calories did not reduce the amount of calories consumed and it did not appear to help participants utilize the calories information posted on menus.
"In fact, we found some evidence that recommendations may even have promoted purchased of higher-calories items," the study stated.
