Counting Calories: Some Want Numbers Posted On Menu

June 17, 2007 — -- Burgers, french fries and sodas -- it seems Americans can't get enough of fast food. But with obesity at an all time high, more than a dozen local and state governments believe it's time for a wake up call. They want to require calorie counts be displayed on the menu board or inside the table menu.

"It would horrify me if I knew what I was eating," one customer said.

"We all know that the burgers are horrible for us, so I really don't think that people are going to pay any attention to it," another said.

Nutrition experts believe it's a dose of medicine the country needs to get in order to shape up.

"If you have information about where calories are coming from, you have a better opportunity to control the ratio of calories in to out and get that balance right to control your weight," said Dr. David Katz of the Yale University School of Medicine.

But the idea is not sitting well with the National Council of Chain Restaurants.

"It will either result in menu boards the size of a New York City Times Square billboard, or we will end up with an eye chart," said Jack Whipple of the National Council of Chain Restaurants. "We're really concerned that it will be confusing to consumers."

The New York State Restaurant Association already has filed a lawsuit against the city calling the regulation unconstitutional.

The city's health department retaliated, saying, "It is unfortunate that some restaurants are so ashamed of what they are serving the public that they would rather go to court than share this information with their customers."

It is unclear if people who enjoy fast food will even care if there's a number other than the price attached to their burgers.

"We do have evidence that when you tell people about calories, it grabs their attention, it does make them think," Katz said. "There is potential for this to influence the choice people make."