New York City recently passed a new law requiring that all chain restaurants display the calories for each menu item along with the price of the item.  This is having quite an impact on NYC establishments.  The low calorie items are quick to go while the high calorie items are being left on the shelf.  Personally I think this is a good thing.  I'm not sure I like the government being involved because it is restricting freedom for the restaurant owners.  I would rather that they did it themselves.  But that's not going to happen.  And that's not the point of this blog entry.  So, politics aside, I think it is a great idea that restaurants show the calories for every menu item.  People are starting to realize just how many calories they are eating.  That "healthy" cranberry bran muffin doesn't look so good at 650 calories!

I think that these signs will probably make a greater impact on obesity in NYC than any other policy that has been implemented so far.  And I like the fact that this isn't forcing people to eat or not eat any particular thing.  It is still up to them to decide.  But now the information is right there in front of your face.  Unless you are like the lady who, upon seeing the high calories for her favorite meal, ask for an "old menu" that didn't have the calorie information printed on it.

An article talking more about this is here