Fast food establishments are always developing & competing
A menu item with a day's worth of calories may not be the deterrent policymakers hoped for. Americans tend to ignore fast-food nutritional facts.
NBC News reports that four years after the FDA required chain restaurants to post calorie counts, the regulation hasn't changed our eating habits.
Obesity rates rose from 30% in 1999 and 2000 to 42% in 2020, according to the CDC.
Americans dining out more than ever contributes to the obesity problem. Fast food is also a key element of that diet.
In 2010, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants bill, requiring chain restaurants to list calorie count on menu. Law aimed to encourage healthier eating.
The regulation went into effect on May 7, 2018, after an 8-year delay owing to restaurant and grocery business objections.
In 2020, the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management showed a 3% reduction in calories when nutritional data was placed on menus.
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