Tag: Obesity policy

According to a 2025 review of studies, adding calorie labels to food products and menus leads to a modest average reduction of 11 calories per meal, or a 1.8% decrease. This raises the question: does putting calories on menus work effectively as a public health strategy, or are the effects too small to matter?

A 2025 Cochrane review found that calorie labels result in a modest 1.8% average reduction in calorie selection per meal, casting serious doubt on claims that calorie labeling on menus does not lead to significant dietary changes on a population-wide scale. This minimal impact, often dismissed as negligible, raises questions about the true effectiveness of informational nudges in altering complex consumer behavior. While the policy aims to combat obesity, evidence suggests its real-world effect is far less potent than policymakers may have hoped.