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Nutrition-labeling regulation impacts on restaurant environments
Brian E Saelens1, Nadine L Chan, James Krieger
1Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98145-5005, USA. brian.saelens@seattlechildrens.org
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 20, 2012
Summary
Restaurant nutrition labeling regulations led to more posted nutrition information and fewer barriers to healthy eating. However, overall healthy options and promotion of healthy choices saw limited improvement, indicating room for further environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutritional Science
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Improving the healthfulness of food consumed outside the home is a public health priority.
- Restaurant nutrition labeling regulations are a recent strategy to encourage healthier eating.
- The impact of these regulations on the broader restaurant environment remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in restaurant environments following nutrition labeling regulations.
- To compare regulated and non-regulated counties to understand the regulation's impact.
- To identify specific environmental changes in quick-service restaurants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-Restaurant (NEMS-R) audit tool.
- Evaluated quick-service chain restaurants in King County (regulated) and Multnomah County (non-regulated).
- Collected data before and at 6 and 18 months post-regulation enforcement in King County, and over 6 months in Multnomah County.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in onsite nutrition information posting in the regulated county.
- Reduction in barriers to healthy eating, particularly in food-oriented establishments in the regulated county.
- Modest improvements in healthy signage and children's menus, but no differential increase in healthy options or facilitation of healthy eating between counties.
Conclusions:
- Restaurant nutrition labeling regulations prompted some environmental improvements, notably increased information availability and reduced barriers.
- The regulation's impact on other restaurant environmental factors was not uniform or substantial.
- Further interventions beyond menu labeling are necessary to comprehensively improve the healthfulness of away-from-home dining.
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