The Effect of Menu Labels, Displaying Minutes of Brisk Walking Needed to Burn Food Calories, on Calories Ordered and Consumed in Young Adults

Abstract

The effect of menu labels displaying amount of exercise needed to burn the food calories on foods ordered and consumed is unknown. Three hundred (18–30 y) men and women were randomly assigned to a menu without calorie labels (NCL) (n=99), a menu with calorie labels (CL) (n=99), or a menu with labels on the minutes of brisk walking needed to burn the food calories (EL) (n=102). All menus contained the same food/beverage options. Subjects were blinded to study purpose. Analysis of covariance, adjusted for pre‐meal hunger levels and sex, was used to examine the effect of the study menu condition on the outcome variables. There was a menu main effect for calories ordered (p=0.008) and consumed (p=0.04). Fewer calories were ordered (adjusted mean (CI): 763 (703, 824) vs. 902 (840, 963) kcal, respectively; p=0.002) and consumed (673 (620, 725) vs. 770 (717, 823) kcal respectively; p=0.01) by the EL compared to NCL group. There was no difference between the CL and NCL groups in food calories ordered (827 (766, 888) vs. 902 (840, 963) kcal, respectively; p=0.09) and consumed (722 (669, 776) vs. 770 (717, 823) kcal, respectively; p=0.21). Calories ordered (p=0.15) and consumed (p=0.19) were not different between the CL and EL groups. There was no difference in post lunch calorie intake by menu condition (p=0.39). In conclusion, EL menu led to fewer calories ordered and consumed compared to the NCL menu condition. Study was supported by TCU.