Most Americans support new rules requiring calorie counts on chain-restaurant menus and prepared foods in supermarkets, according to an Associated Press-Gfk poll. The long-awaited rules announced by the US Food and Drug Administration have generated opposition from some in the food industry. (See NewsBites, February.) But 56% in the poll supported calorie counts on fast-food menus, 54% at sit-down restaurants, and 52% on prepared grocery foods. Women and college-educated people were more likely to support the rules.
The poll found that sugar (61%) and fat content (59%) are the most important considerations to consumers when judging whether a food is healthy, followed by calories (55%). Despite support for calorie labeling, most respondents say they already have enough information to make healthy choices when eating out.