AHA Advocate Voices Opinion on Idea of Menu Labeling Programs

I was disappointed to read Steve Chapman’s recent column “Adding fat to the nanny state” (Oct. 11). Mr. Chapman suggests that menu labeling programs at fast food restaurants—which provide consumers with vital nutrition information including calorie counts and fat content--are ineffective in encouraging diners to choose healthier menu options. Menu labeling programs are just beginning in many states, and I believe that over time, they will make an enormous impact on the way Americans eat. Instead of declaring this relatively recent initiative a failure, we should be educating the public on the health costs of the foods they’re choosing and reinforcing that message at every possible opportunity.

Think of it in terms of a company who advertises in the Tribune. If that company places one ad in your paper and gets little to no response to it, what do you tell them? “Sorry it didn’t work”? No, you tell them that a successful campaign is based on repetition of the message. Studies regularly show that consumers must see ad messaging multiple times before they even begin to make a purchasing decision.

So, let’s take a lesson from our friends in advertising and give the Menu Labeling programs some time to sink in. The information they provide can save lives, and repetition and education will be the key to the success of these initiatives.

-Andy Rauh, M.D.
River Forest, IL