Don't worry, this one's not about the Sex and the City theme song. It's the generation of how public policy is attempting to soften problems related to America's love-hate relationship with food. You may have noticed that nutrition labels are taking over at restaurants, and it's with a specific purpose in mind.
According to a recent publication of the American Dietetic Association,
"The recently passed health reform bill mandates that chain restaurants with more than 20 locations disclose calorie information on their menus and make other nutrient data available to consumers."
Sure, many Americans struggle with obesity. Some might be perfectly aware of the caloric density of their choices...how else can fast-food chains continue to produce increasingly wild versions of their thick burger? Indulgence sells. Others are not quite as aware, so education might come in handy.
(Hardee's Monster Thick-burger. A far cry from local. The meat that feeds this industry is from cattle in Brazil, raised on bull-dozed rain forests.)
My first thought is that the new law makes America's food relationship more mechanical and disconnected. Numbers aren't a means to listening to hunger or fullness, which is the piece that needs to be normalized the most in individuals struggling with weight. However, numbers are a solid means of protecting a restaurant legally when patrons try to pass blame on resultant health problems.
How does seeing those labels effect you personally? Helpful or harmful?