Fast-food calorie labelling results in small reductions in calories purchased

Calorie labelling on fast-food purchases produces slight decreases in calories obtained across all population subgroups, but not for rural census tracts, according to a US study. Some subgroups have also derived more benefits from this practice.

This study employed a quasi-experimental design to explore possible sources of heterogeneity in the effect of calorie labeling on fast-food purchases among restaurants found in areas with diverse neighbourhood activities.

The investigators used transaction data from 2,329 Taco Bell restaurants across the US between 2008 and 2014 to examine the associations of census tract-level income, racial and ethnic composition, and urbanicity with the effects of calorie labelling on calories purchased per transaction.

Calorie labelling brought about small, absolute reductions in calories purchased across all population subgroups, ranging from –9.3 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], –18.7 to 0.0) to –37.6 (95 percent CI, –41.6 to –33.7) calories, 2 years following the labelling implementation.

Of note, the largest difference in the effect of calorie labelling was observed between restaurants located in rural census tracts and those situated in high-density urban census tracts, with the effect of calorie labelling being three times bigger in urban areas.

“Fast-food calorie labelling led to small reductions in calories purchased across all population subgroups except for rural census tracts, with some subgroups experiencing a greater benefit,” the investigators said.