Study Confirms that Consumers are Not Seeking Nutritional Info at Fast Food Restaurants

Over the course of 2009, consumers are expected to spend nearly half of their food budget in the one place that is causing their wallets to shrink and waistline to expand: the fast food restaurant. (According to king5.com.) Considering the huge amount of fast food that is being consumed, one thing that can be done to combat the negative effects of fast food is to be careful when making your fast food choices. There are many options available, even at fast food restaurants, that are low-fat, low in carbs, and overall a better nutritional choice than most fried foods. However, it seems that consumers are spending less time worrying about the nutritional make-up of their food and more time worried about how quickly they can receive their order.

Researchers at Yale University recently observed more than 4,000 customers as they entered and purchased food from numerous fast food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Burger King, and Starbucks. “Out of that 4,000, only six people, so that’s 0.1% of customers, were actually accessing nutrition information,” stated Christina Roberto, Yale University. Since people are not taking the time to analyze their food choices and make a healthy decision based on nutritional information, the restaurant industry might have to come up with ways to make this process easier for consumers. The nutritional information could be readily displayed on the menu, either at the counter, at the table, or both. Easy access to nutritional information is guaranteed to make the process of choosing healthy foods easier, given that it eliminates some of the work involved in figuring this out yourself.

Given all of the information regarding weight, diet, and their relationship to your overall health, consumers need to take the time to start making smart food decisions. Restaurants can start doing their part as well by making this information easily accessible. If we work together, we can start a generation of well-informed, healthy consumers.