Matheson introduces calorie-count bill

Chris Nord of Provo was munching at the University Mall food court when asked what he thinks about Congress perhaps ordering chain restaurants to post on menu boards how many calories each item contains. He looked at his son in a stroller and said, "We might buy him healthier stuff."

That is the hope of Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah.

He introduced the Labeling Education and Nutrition — or LEAN — Act Tuesday to require such posting in hopes that customers will not inadvertently super-size themselves into obesity.

"American adults buy a meal or a snack from a restaurant five times per week on average and spend 48 percent of their food budget on food away from home, almost $1,078 per person annually," Matheson told the House. "Unfortunately, we have also seen the toll diseases such as obesity and diabetes have taken on society."

But diners at the Orem food court had mixed feelings about the idea and whether it would be used well.

"I think it's a waste of board because I would never read it," said Whitney Lucking, 18, of Heber. "Sometimes you don't want to know how many calories. … People would get less business."

But McKenzie Brown, 18, of Provo, said, "I think it's good to know what you're eating. You want to know how many calories. … I don't think anything in here is really very nutritious, except for maybe Subway.

Arctic Circle President Gary Roberts said he's not opposed to such a law. "But we would but rather have it listed on a separate poster or given out upon request, rather than clutter up the menu board with it. It's tough to try to put all that information in a small space when only about 5 percent of the people really care about it."

The LEAN Act would require restaurants and grocery store chains that serve prepared foods and have 20 or more locations to disclose calories for each menu item, so smaller restaurants would not face the expense of testing their menu items to produce such information.

The listing must be on the menu, menu board, in a menu insert or on a sign next to a menu board. They also must have data available for 11 other nutritional items, such as sugar and sodium levels. Many chains now have that data online or through cards available upon request, but that requires time and effort to find.

Matheson noted that Congress in 1994 required food manufacturers to provide nutrition information on nearly all packaged foods but exempted restaurants. That led 20 states to consider varying labeling requirements for restaurants this year.