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Posted by Kaitlin Sheedy | March 28th, 2010

On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Health Care for America Act into law. Nestled in the hefty legislation is Section 2572, which mandates chain restaurants with 20 or more locations display calories on menus, menu boards, and drive-through displays, as well as on vending machines. Temporary specials appearing on the menu for less than 60 days, condiments and test market foods are exempt. The Food and Drug Administration will establish the specific regulations and determine exactly…

Posted by Kaitlin Sheedy | March 23rd, 2010

Whether we’re tuning in to The Biggest Loser television show, hearing the latest updates about Michelle Obama’s new “Let’s Move” campaign to tackle childhood obesity, or reading about a new policy taxing soda or removing vending machines from schools, there is no denying nutrition and physical activity are two of the hottest topics in the country.

They are also two of the most pressing public health issues with serious long term health consequences.  In fact, in Washington, DC the rate of obesity is 22.3 percent, while nearly 27 percent of the nation’s adults are obese. These rates spike up even more dramatically in African Americans and Latinos.[2]  Some of the health consequences of obesity are coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, various cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon), high cholesterol, liver and gall bladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems.[3]

DC Voices for MEAL Choices (DVMC), an advocacy group of the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association, is working to get the DC Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act passed in the district by educating policymakers, the media and the public about the positive effect of including nutrition information on menus and menu boards in restaurants.

In March 2007, D.C. City Council members Phil Mendelson and Marion Barry introduced the DC MEAL Act to address the significantly high number of obesity related chronic diseases in the nation’s capital.  The council members developed the bill to help residents and visitors of D.C. make healthier food choices when eating outside of their homes.

The MEAL Act would require fast food and other chain restaurants in the District of Columbia to provide detailed nutrition information directly on the menu.  The bill would mandate establishments with 10 or more locations nationwide to list the calorie content and specific amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates and sodium in standard menu items. Although Councilman Mendelson introduced the DC MEAL Act almost three years ago, the Council has not passed the law requiring DC chain restaurants to provide nutrition information to their customers.