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New law will require chain restaurants with 20 or more establishments to post calorie data on menus, menu boards and drive throughs
June 11, 2009
AUGUSTA– The Legislature gave final approval to a statewide menu labeling law on Thursday. The Legislation will require chain restaurants with 20 or more establishments and at least one in Maine to post calorie data on menus, menu boards and drive throughs. The policy has been supported as an effort to give consumers access to important nutrition information in order to help them make healthier decisions.
“Posting calories will help busy customers make better informed decisions when they order for themselves and for their children,” said Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree, who introduced the legislation. “With skyrocketing rates of chronic diseases like type II diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers that are linked to our diets, it is important to make this information more easily accessible.”
In the last twenty years the rate of obese and overweight Maine adults has doubled and the rates among Maine children have tripled. Due to the negative health affects associated with this, the American Heart Association now counts the obesity epidemic as the number one reason this generation may be the first in our nation’s history to have a shorter life span than the previous one. It is estimated that the direct health costs of obesity in Maine amounted to $357 million in 2003.
“Due to policy changes taken to address tobacco usage over the past twenty years, there has been a substantial decline in tobacco use,” said Sen. Peter Mills, R- Somerset. “Was it the labeling of tobacco products, smoke free air policies, or other steps taken to change behaviors and curtail usage that made the difference? The truth is that we cannot point to one policy, but have to take them as a comprehensive approach that together made a positive impact. Increasing awareness of nutrition information is one piece of an overall strategy to improve people’s health and reduce the negative health affects on our society.”
The passage of the calorie posting policy in Maine mirrors efforts in other states and on the federal level. New York City, Seattle and Portland, Oregon have implemented calorie posting ordinances and diners at chain restaurants can currently see the amount of calories they are about to consume. California and Massachusetts have policies that will be phased in beginning in 2010 and the Connecticut and Oregon legislatures have also enacted similar policies this year. The United States Senate is currently considering requiring calorie posting as part of a federal health care reform package.
“Putting calorie information in an easily read and easily accessed format is common sense,” said Rep. Anne Perry, the House Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. “When you are eating out it may not always be apparent what the healthy options are. You may be surprised to find out that your tuna sandwich can have as many as twice the calories of a roast beef sandwich with mustard.”
The law was enacted by the Maine House by a vote of 85 to 59 and in the Senate by a vote of 20 to 14. It has now been sent to the Governor for his signature.
The Maine law would require restaurants that are part of a chain that has 20 or more restaurants in the nation and at least one operating in Maine. It would require that calorie information for a menu item be placed in a clear and conspicuous manner on menus and menu boards, including drive through menus. The legislation will go into effect on February 1, 2011, after a similar policy go into effect in Massachusetts, giving restaurants extra time to comply.
The Legislation also makes exceptions for salad bars and buffets, exempts movie theaters, grocery stores and hotels and exempts specials and menu items that are offered for less than 90 days.
Contact:
Tim Feeley, 287-1300