Why Do Restaurants Need Labels?

In Zinczenko’s article he said, "that there are a lack of alternate food options and there are no calorie information charts on fast food packaging, the way there are on grocery items (Zinczenko 394).” This information Zinczenko states may have been true back in 2002 but now of days, government is stepping in. According to the New York Times, President Obama signed off in 2011 that any American patron that enters into a McDonalds, Starbucks, Burger king, or any major restaurant chain, will be required to put calorie information on their menus and drive-through signs. This legislation also requires labels on food items in vending machines. In addition, anyone can find any

Zinczencko complains that unlike many other hazardous items, fast food does not come with warnings on how terrible the food is for one’s health and its future effects. He emphasizes that even if the customers were able to obtain the nutritional facts, they are not palpable, but rather obscure. He points out that the fast-food companies make the nutrition labels vague and misleading; they calculate the calories for every separate part of the meal, and they make it so the consumer must pay attention to serving size as well. He observes that the fast-food industry can get away with confusing labels because there are not any Food and Drug Administration labeling requisites (Word Smart, p. 220) covering fast food. Zinczenko complains that there is not any sort of nutritional labeling on the menus at fast-food restaurants. Now, nine years later, there are some changes, but his point is still valid. McDonald’s menu now states the calories of each meal, but as Zinczenko points out, it is very difficult to

Research shows that when such information is given, customers use it to limit the way they eat. This can consume an average loss of calories than they typically did before labeling. This trend poses increased risk, not just in terms of calories, but in terms of unhealthful ingredients such as fat and sodium. According to the passage, "the U.S. government agrees that restaurant meals should be labeled. It is part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, which requires that standard menu items include information on nutrition 1". This poses that fast food places and restaurants should in fact label information, not only for ones own health but it is required.

America has been faced with the growing obesity epidemic. This is becoming very wide spread among all races and class levels due in part to the abundance of inexpensive food available and how easily people are becoming persuaded to but things they do not need. David Zinczenko published article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, Zinczenko argues that fast-food industries are not doing their job to provide clear enough nutritional information for hazardous food.

When deciding what to eat for dinner, the nutritional value of food can be an important aspect of the decision. However, unlike grocery items and tobacco products, fast-food items do not require nutrition labels. Zinczenko emphasizes to his audience that the nutritional information, provided by the fast-food companies, can be confusing to understand:

Do you believe restaurants should be required to label the calories ,fat content, and sodium on their menus? I agree to this controversial argument! If a law was created that required restaurants and diners around the nation to display calories and other health concerns many people would be healthier.

Some fast-food purveyors will provide calorie information on request, but even that can be hard to understand (Zinczenco, 2002.) The essence of Zinczenco’s s argument is that Americans are unable to be fully informed of the harm the food they consume completely inflicts their health. This backs of the writers claim, that you are unable to place the complete blame of obesity, completely on the consumer. If consumers are completely oblivious to the fact that there food labels are completely rigged, how is it even possible for the consumer to get the truth? The easy answer would be repeatedly placing the blame on the consumer, and saying they should do extensive research on the food which they eat. But in complete honesty, this is a ridiculous standard which most Americans won't bother putting time and effort into. This quote ties back into Zinczenco’s claim that the cooperation which serve such unhealthy food are at fault, for it is they who feed food that can lead to a life altering disease, without properly informing the consumer.

Despite years of federal silence, this FDA-required menu-labeling rule is not the first of its kind. In 2007, New York City mandated that chain restaurants provide consumers with product calorie counts. Menu labeling has also taken root in other parts of the country. In the interest of national, industry-wide consistency, the National Restaurant Association is in support of the FDA’s new requirement (Goldman, 2015).

Historically restaurants were exempt from nutrition labeling due to 1990s policy during the Bush Administration6. The policy of menu labeling emerged with growing concern over the obesity crisis and malnutrition in America. Currently more than one third of US adults are obese3. Obesity related conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers are the leading causes of preventable deaths in America3. President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010 with the provision of section 42059. Section 4205 was aimed at providing increased information about nutrition and calorie content to the public with the goal of helping consumers make informed and healthful dietary choices9. This section was originally due to be enacted in April 20139.

A passage from Stephanie Rosenbloom read, “This is just another unnecessary government intrusion into private decision-making.” Now that does make sense, if the government did stay out of our private lives, we would be making America worse. It does seem a bit weird that you can buy a Big Mac from McDonald’s for one dollar, but a good, healthy apple is at least two dollars or more. Sam Kazman made an argument that whether he wanted to go buy and apple or a Big Mac, he has a right to buy both of these without any information. I would rather a calorie label on the Big Mac and the apple to compare the difference. If we could just compare the calories to unhealthy and healthy foods we would have a healthier diet if you were trying to eat right. He also made a point that this is just not a federal issue. While this is agreeable, the government does have a right to label whatever they would

The purpose of the nutritional labels is to inform individuals how many calories they are about to intake or how much fat does that one particular item acquire. Understanding what is incorporated in the foods that are being ingested can help people make wiser decisions on what is more healthier to maintain a proper diet. A healthy diet is very compelling in an individual's lifetime and reading nutritional labels is taking them in a satisfying path that can improve their overall diet. This solution has be around, but yet just being ignored because individuals will consume what they think is delicious and not consider how many calories are contained. The importance of having educational classes mandatory to all Americans about the deadly epidemic will not only reduce the obesity rate, but also bring the American society to its

When dealing with food, Americans are forced to put their trust into the food industry. Although, there has been an increase of awareness, not enough, on how the industry grows food, processes, and what Americans consume. The United States is riddled with food industry immorality, obesity, and inadequate nutrition education. The government should have more control of the food industry, beyond the mandating of Nutrition Facts labels. In order to enhance the life quality of Americans, the government should partake in a more significant role with food industry regulation.

Should there be a law that requires restaurants and fast food places to post nutritional information, including calories, fat content, and sodium, on their menus? I believe it is necessary to post nutritional information on restaurants and fast food places because it will help people be more health-conscious of what they eat and what they shouldn’t eat too much of. Studies also show that it reduces calories consumed when they are available. I also believe that the other author that claims that the studies’ claim is false.

On December 1, 2014 the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established two new rules requiring menu labeling and vending machine labeling. What does this mean exactly, well when it comes to menu labeling any establishment that has 20 or more chains are now required to list the calorie information on their menus or menu boards. This not only includes sit-down restaurants but also drive-through windows and takeout foods. They also established another rule for vending machines which requires all owners or operators with 20 or more vending machines to display calorie information as well. According to the FDA “Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories away from home. Making calorie information available will help consumers make informed choices for themselves and their families”.

The FDA has been regulating our food safety for many years. They are specialized in food safety and food science, which makes them a much better choice to regulate our food safety than state politicians. This is why it is important that you pass H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. Keeping the labels uniform across the country would be easier and cheaper to produce, keeping us from spending more money on food. With the laws we have now, companies can call their food natural or GMO-free, but there is no one checking that what they say is true. States want to do this for themselves, but we will get many different labels giving people different information.