Sara N. Bleich|Keshia M. Pollack
The publics' understanding of daily caloric recommendations and their perceptions of calorie posting in chain restaurants
Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University
calorie posting chain restaurants received increasing attention policy lever reduce energy intake little research assessed consumer understanding overall daily energy requirements perceived effectiveness calorie posting phone survey conducted may 1 17 2009 663 randomly selected nationallyrepresentative adults aged 18 older including oversample blacks hispanics united states examine differences responses race ethnicity white black hispanic gender compared responses conducting chisquared tests differences proportions found americans knowledgeable energy requirements moderately active men 78 women 69 underestimated energy requirements inactive adults 60 whites significantly higher caloric literacy confidence caloric knowledge blacks hispanics p 005 compared counterparts blacks hispanics women reported significantly higher likelihood eating chain restaurant selecting lower calorie foods caloric information posted americans favored government requiring chain restaurants post calorie information menus point purchase 68 support government mandated calorie posting chain restaurants significantly higher among blacks hispanics women compared counterparts public divided mode caloric information would best help make lower calorie decision third favored number calories 35 current standard mode presenting caloric information chain restaurants third favored physical activity equivalent 26 third favored percentage total energy intake 39 mandating calorie posting chain restaurants may useful policy tool promoting energy balance particularly among blacks hispanics women higher obesity risk