title: Calorie-labelling in catering outlets: acceptability and impacts on food sales.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is the biggest challenge facing preventive medicine. Calorie-labelling has been suggested as a way of changing the architecture of an 'obesogenic' environment without limiting consumer choice. This study examined the effect of calorie-labelling on sales of food items at catering outlets on a city-centre university campus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sales data were collected for two consecutive months in 2013 on three UK university sites (two with calorie-labelling during second month, one control) and analysed with chi-square 'Goodness-of-Fit' tests. A questionnaire seeking consumers' views and use of the calorie-labelling was administered and analysed at group-level with chi-square tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In intervention vs control sites, total sales of all labelled items fell significantly (-17% vs -2%, p<0.001) for the month with calorie-labelling. Calorie-labelling was associated with substantially reduced sales of high-calorie labelled items, without any compensatory changes in unlabelled alternative items. Among 1166 student- and 646 staff-respondents, 56% reported using the calorie-labels, 97% of them to make lower-calorie choices. More females (63%) than males (40%) reported being influenced by calorie-labels when choosing foods (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence, beyond that from single-meal exposures, for the acceptability of meal calorie-labelling and its potential as an effective low-cost anti-obesity measure.
authors: Human Nutrition Section, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. Electronic address: charoulanikolaou@yahoo.co.uk.
authors: Charoula K
authors: CK
authors: Nikolaou
authors: Human Nutrition Section, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Michael E J
authors: ME
authors: Lean
authors: Human Nutrition Section, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Catherine R
authors: CR
authors: Hankey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002149:Energy Intake; D057140:Fast Foods; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012147:Restaurants; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Calorie-labelling; Obesity; Prevention; Weight-gain