Recent research suggests that integrating calorie counts with color-coded traffic-light symbols on restaurant menus may significantly decrease calorie intake compared to displaying calorie numbers alone. The study involved testing three types of lunch menus at a full-service restaurant: a control menu without calorie information, a menu featuring calorie counts for each dish, and a third menu that included both calorie counts and corresponding traffic-light symbols—red for dishes exceeding 800 calories, yellow for those ranging from 400 to 800 calories, and green for meals under 400 calories.
Those who received the traffic-light menus consumed an average of 114 fewer calories from entrees than participants who were presented with calorie counts only, and 129 fewer calories than the control group. Surprisingly, diners in the calorie-only group ended up ordering more calories in total—after accounting for side dishes and desserts—compared to the control group. The researchers pointed out that this may indicate a “licensing effect,” where diners, upon choosing a lower-calorie entree, felt justified in ordering additional side items or desserts. This could lead to unintended consequences from such labeling legislation. (For further insights on this licensing effect, refer to the Special Report in this issue.) The findings were published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
