Would calorie counts on restaurant menus change your food order?

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Barry Artiste Op.Ed

Would menu labeling laws requiring US restaurants and fast food establishments to list calorie counts for each food item on their menu work in Canada?   When it comes to health, do many pay attention?  There are special interest groups in Canada who feel this law may get us to change our eating habits, regardless that Vancouver was recently voted one of the most healthiest cities in the world to live in. 

Many Vancouver area restaurants already list sustainable food items, non trans fats, organic foods, healthy food items and environmentally friendly products. Most of us are addicted to Food Network TV featuring prominent chefs the world over. One wonders what they think of this law?

Food is meant to be a pleasure, eating in Vancouver restaurants, especially in these economic times is more of a luxury than a necessity.  Fast food outlets also serve a purpose, thanks to a hectic work life.  There are no excuses, but sometimes filling instead of taste serves a purpose for many. 

Implementing menu labeling laws may be a good thing for the health conscious, but to think it will serve everyone as a warning is folly.

Vancouver being a multicultural society, with our many ethnic restaurants as well as mainstream restaurants would require the food and calorie counts on a menu to be printed not only in English, but Punjab, Arabic, French, Mandarin and Cantonese just to name a few if this menu labeling law is to serve any real purpose in warning food patrons.  One would think many restaurants and fast food establishments can afford such an undertaking. If a restaurant or fast food outlet complied with the law, what is stopping a consumer requesting smaller portions?  What a logistical nightmare for wait staff and the chef.

Canadians when entering a romantic dim lit restaurant or rushing into a drive thru only want the gist of the menu, not a lengthy science and health lesson. Imagine the size of the menu, more pages, most likely less food choices as food establishments try and comply with an already non trans fat law and culture. What if the next level of enforcement for menus are warning photos of diseased hearts or obese people in speedos?

Canadians are already inundated with warning and labeling laws on everything from lotteries, liquor to cigarettes, a sin tax as well. Does this stop Canadians in their favourite indulgences? Health statistics suggest no for the majority of Canadians, hence labeling laws.

If labeling laws warning us of the dangers in society actually worked we would have no liquor stores, cigarettes would be extinct and alcohol and drug addicts would be clean, sober and productive citizens, jails would be empty. 

Government have already removed junk food from schools, with school authorities even banning students from bringing junk food on school property.  These laws soon had students flocking to local fast food outlets and 7-Eleven for their fix at lunch.  So did this taxpayer funded law work? Just go to any area McDonald or fast food eateries located near any school at lunch time and you will have your answer.

If this menu labeling law hits Canada, perhaps using a volunteer system for area restaurants and fast food outlets to place a universal logo beside each food item would be sufficient, such as our heart check logo, unhealthy food would get a skull and crossbones, foods with high sugar content would show a child racing around furiously in a circle. 

One can understand health officials concerns, especially since they work in our financially strapped social healthcare system.  As adults, do we really need this level of protection, the warning signs have always been clear, in both the news media and television. Many taxpayers insist on less government interference in our lives, with health officials trying to be our brothers keeper. Do we really need to add another level of bureaucracy on our taxpayer dime?

It is said labeling laws worked in New York, but then Vancouver is not New York, as we like to think we are healthier than any city in North America.

Perhaps it would be best to leave restaurants and fast food establishments alone, trust the adult public, particularly parents in making decisions about their food choices and food choices for their children.

Governments were established to govern, not parent us through our daily lives.