But do calorie counts really change the way people eat? Evidence suggests they have a small but tangible impact, according to a new systematic review from the Cochrane Collaboration.
While the review is valuable, it’s difficult to draw conclusions about the average effect of calorie labeling given the various types of studies included in the review, said Christina Roberto, an associate professor of health policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine who has studied the impact of food labeling requirements and was not associated with the study.
“I think it’s kind of incredible that it works at all,” Roberto said. “It’s such a light touch intervention, it’s just some numbers on a menu, it’s incredibly cost-effective, and you do get these small reductions.” For these reasons, she said, calorie labeling policies “feel like a no-brainer.