Re: Calorie-Counting Rule to Leave Out Movie Theaters

[Guest guest]

again, legislation turns into a joke. lots of money to be made with this

legislation but not by RDs and not to the benefit of delivering effective

health care. Raphaela Rozanski, MS, RD, LDN

> Movie theaters don’t hesitate to wag a stern finger at their patrons:

> *Shhh!

> * Turn off your cellphone. Don’t talk during the movie.

>

> But don’t ask them to tell you how many calories are in that jumbo tub of

> popcorn.

>

> The federal government on Friday released proposed rules requiring chain

> restaurants and other businesses that serve food to post calorie counts on

> menus and menu boards. But after objections from theater chains, the rules

> give a pass to those box-office snacks — even though a large popcorn and

> soda can contain as many calories as a typical person needs in a day.

>

> The new disclosure rules also exempt alcoholic beverages served in

> restaurants, including beer, wine and high-calorie mixed drinks like

> margaritas and daiquiris.

>

> The Food and Drug Administration said it would accept consumer and industry

> feedback on the rules before finishing them, hopefully by the end of this

> year. They are expected to go into effect some time next year, said

> R. , deputy commissioner for foods at the F.D.A.

>

> “This is a really important and positive step in providing consumers

> information that they can use to choose healthy diets and fight

> obesity<

>

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/morbid-obesity/overview.html?in\

line=nyt-classifier

> >,”

> Mr. said.

>

> The health care overhaul law passed last year included a provision that

> required chain restaurants and similar establishments that served food at

> 20

> or more locations to display calorie counts for menu items.

>

> The proposed new rules, which would spell out how the law would be applied,

> would take the place of a grab bag of menu-labeling laws that already exist

> around the country, including in New York City and California. The

> restaurant industry supported a federal labeling rule so that it would not

> have to comply with a range of different regulations.

>

> A preliminary F.D.A. document on the rules released last summer would have

> included movie theaters.

>

> But Mr. said officials decided to write the rules so that they would

> apply only to establishments whose primary purpose was to sell food or

> where

> at least half the floor space was dedicated to food sales.

>

> “The thinking has absolutely evolved based on comments we’ve gotten from a

> number of quarters,” Mr. said. “This is a different drawing of the

> circle of what is covered by this law.”

>

> Under the change, the law also would not apply to bowling alleys,

> carnivals,

> airplanes and other establishments where the primary purpose was not the

> sale of food.

>

> But it would cover convenience stores and supermarkets that offer

> ready-to-eat items like hot dogs, deli sandwiches or rotisserie chicken, as

> long as they were part of a chain of sufficient size. In such

> establishments

> and in restaurants, each item on a salad bar would have to be labeled to

> show how many calories were in a serving.

>

> Mr. said the rules would not cover alcohol sold in restaurants

> because the F.D.A. did not have jurisdiction to regulate alcohol.

>

> In a separate proceeding, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is

> considering whether to require nutritional information on the labels of

> alcoholic beverages.

>

> Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy of the Center for Science in

> the Public Interest<

>

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/center_for_s\

cience_in_the_public_interest/index.html?inline=nyt-org

> >,

> said leaving out movie theaters from the new rules was a mistake.

>

> “It doesn’t matter whether you happen to be watching a movie while you’re

> eating,” Ms. Wootan said. “Those calories still count.”

>

> The center, an advocacy group, has issued reports showing that at some

> theaters, a large tub of popcorn with butter topping can contain nearly

> 1,500 calories. A large soda can contain 500 calories. Federal dietary

> guidelines say that the average person needs about 2,000 calories a day.

> However, Ms. Wootan said that over all, calorie labeling on menus would

> help

> people make healthier choices when they go out to eat, and she was pleased

> to see that the F.D.A. was moving relatively quickly to put the rules in

> place.

>

> The F.D.A. also issued proposed rules for calorie labeling on vending

> machines, which was also required by the health care law. Under the rules,

> vending machine operators with 20 or more machines would have to post the

> calorie content of items they sell.

>

> The National Association of Theater Owners, a trade group, had called for

> movie theaters to be exempt from the menu labeling law. On its Web site,

> the

> group said that movies were “escapist entertainment” and that moviegoers

> did

> not go there with the intent of eating a meal. A representative of the

> group

> could not be reached on Friday.

>

> The federal rules would take the place of local or state laws for chain

> restaurants and other establishments covered by the federal regulations.

> But

> local governments would be free to create laws for establishments that were

> left outside the federal rules. New York City’s labeling law already

> requires movie theater chains to post calorie information. It also requires

> calorie labeling for alcoholic beverages listed on menus at restaurant

> chains.

> LINK<

>

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/business/02menu.html?_r=1 & nl=todaysheadlines & e\

mc=tha25

> >

> --

> Ortiz, MS, RD

> *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

> Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

> Free subscription to Newsweek while supplies

> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17948>Free

> subscription to Wall Street Journal while supplies

> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17946>

> Watch. Practice. Learn almost anything—for free. Khan

> Academy<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17921>Made

> my own " funny but real " movie: Me interviewing a " potential " Dietetic

> student <

>

> *Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

> *

>

> *at the years people have behind them but also the

> *

>

> *quality of the years ahead of them.*

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

again, legislation turns into a joke. lots of money to be made with this

legislation but not by RDs and not to the benefit of delivering effective

health care. Raphaela Rozanski, MS, RD, LDN

> Movie theaters don’t hesitate to wag a stern finger at their patrons:

> *Shhh!

> * Turn off your cellphone. Don’t talk during the movie.

>

> But don’t ask them to tell you how many calories are in that jumbo tub of

> popcorn.

>

> The federal government on Friday released proposed rules requiring chain

> restaurants and other businesses that serve food to post calorie counts on

> menus and menu boards. But after objections from theater chains, the rules

> give a pass to those box-office snacks — even though a large popcorn and

> soda can contain as many calories as a typical person needs in a day.

>

> The new disclosure rules also exempt alcoholic beverages served in

> restaurants, including beer, wine and high-calorie mixed drinks like

> margaritas and daiquiris.

>

> The Food and Drug Administration said it would accept consumer and industry

> feedback on the rules before finishing them, hopefully by the end of this

> year. They are expected to go into effect some time next year, said

> R. , deputy commissioner for foods at the F.D.A.

>

> “This is a really important and positive step in providing consumers

> information that they can use to choose healthy diets and fight

> obesity<

>

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/morbid-obesity/overview.html?in\

line=nyt-classifier

> >,”

> Mr. said.

>

> The health care overhaul law passed last year included a provision that

> required chain restaurants and similar establishments that served food at

> 20

> or more locations to display calorie counts for menu items.

>

> The proposed new rules, which would spell out how the law would be applied,

> would take the place of a grab bag of menu-labeling laws that already exist

> around the country, including in New York City and California. The

> restaurant industry supported a federal labeling rule so that it would not

> have to comply with a range of different regulations.

>

> A preliminary F.D.A. document on the rules released last summer would have

> included movie theaters.

>

> But Mr. said officials decided to write the rules so that they would

> apply only to establishments whose primary purpose was to sell food or

> where

> at least half the floor space was dedicated to food sales.

>

> “The thinking has absolutely evolved based on comments we’ve gotten from a

> number of quarters,” Mr. said. “This is a different drawing of the

> circle of what is covered by this law.”

>

> Under the change, the law also would not apply to bowling alleys,

> carnivals,

> airplanes and other establishments where the primary purpose was not the

> sale of food.

>

> But it would cover convenience stores and supermarkets that offer

> ready-to-eat items like hot dogs, deli sandwiches or rotisserie chicken, as

> long as they were part of a chain of sufficient size. In such

> establishments

> and in restaurants, each item on a salad bar would have to be labeled to

> show how many calories were in a serving.

>

> Mr. said the rules would not cover alcohol sold in restaurants

> because the F.D.A. did not have jurisdiction to regulate alcohol.

>

> In a separate proceeding, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is

> considering whether to require nutritional information on the labels of

> alcoholic beverages.

>

> Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy of the Center for Science in

> the Public Interest<

>

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/center_for_s\

cience_in_the_public_interest/index.html?inline=nyt-org

> >,

> said leaving out movie theaters from the new rules was a mistake.

>

> “It doesn’t matter whether you happen to be watching a movie while you’re

> eating,” Ms. Wootan said. “Those calories still count.”

>

> The center, an advocacy group, has issued reports showing that at some

> theaters, a large tub of popcorn with butter topping can contain nearly

> 1,500 calories. A large soda can contain 500 calories. Federal dietary

> guidelines say that the average person needs about 2,000 calories a day.

> However, Ms. Wootan said that over all, calorie labeling on menus would

> help

> people make healthier choices when they go out to eat, and she was pleased

> to see that the F.D.A. was moving relatively quickly to put the rules in

> place.

>

> The F.D.A. also issued proposed rules for calorie labeling on vending

> machines, which was also required by the health care law. Under the rules,

> vending machine operators with 20 or more machines would have to post the

> calorie content of items they sell.

>

> The National Association of Theater Owners, a trade group, had called for

> movie theaters to be exempt from the menu labeling law. On its Web site,

> the

> group said that movies were “escapist entertainment” and that moviegoers

> did

> not go there with the intent of eating a meal. A representative of the

> group

> could not be reached on Friday.

>

> The federal rules would take the place of local or state laws for chain

> restaurants and other establishments covered by the federal regulations.

> But

> local governments would be free to create laws for establishments that were

> left outside the federal rules. New York City’s labeling law already

> requires movie theater chains to post calorie information. It also requires

> calorie labeling for alcoholic beverages listed on menus at restaurant

> chains.

> LINK<

>

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/business/02menu.html?_r=1 & nl=todaysheadlines & e\

mc=tha25

> >

> --

> Ortiz, MS, RD

> *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

> Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

> Free subscription to Newsweek while supplies

> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17948>Free

> subscription to Wall Street Journal while supplies

> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17946>

> Watch. Practice. Learn almost anything—for free. Khan

> Academy<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17921>Made

> my own " funny but real " movie: Me interviewing a " potential " Dietetic

> student <

>

> *Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

> *

>

> *at the years people have behind them but also the

> *

>

> *quality of the years ahead of them.*

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Agree!

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 2, 2011, at 10:08 AM, Raphaela Rozanski

wrote:

> again, legislation turns into a joke. lots of money to be made with

> this

> legislation but not by RDs and not to the benefit of delivering

> effective

> health care. Raphaela Rozanski, MS, RD, LDN

>

>

>

>> Movie theaters don’t hesitate to wag a stern finger at their patro

>> ns:

>> *Shhh!

>> * Turn off your cellphone. Don’t talk during the movie.

>>

>> But don’t ask them to tell you how many calories are in that jumbo

>> tub of

>> popcorn.

>>

>> The federal government on Friday released proposed rules requiring

>> chain

>> restaurants and other businesses that serve food to post calorie

>> counts on

>> menus and menu boards. But after objections from theater chains,

>> the rules

>> give a pass to those box-office snacks — even though a large popco

>> rn and

>> soda can contain as many calories as a typical person needs in a day.

>>

>> The new disclosure rules also exempt alcoholic beverages served in

>> restaurants, including beer, wine and high-calorie mixed drinks like

>> margaritas and daiquiris.

>>

>> The Food and Drug Administration said it would accept consumer and

>> industry

>> feedback on the rules before finishing them, hopefully by the end

>> of this

>> year. They are expected to go into effect some time next year, said

>>

>> R. , deputy commissioner for foods at the F.D.A.

>>

>> “This is a really important and positive step in providing consum

>> ers

>> information that they can use to choose healthy diets and fight

>> obesity<

>>

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/morbid-obesity/overview.html?in\

line=nyt-classifier

>>> ,â€

>> Mr. said.

>>

>> The health care overhaul law passed last year included a provision

>> that

>> required chain restaurants and similar establishments that served

>> food at

>> 20

>> or more locations to display calorie counts for menu items.

>>

>> The proposed new rules, which would spell out how the law would be

>> applied,

>> would take the place of a grab bag of menu-labeling laws that

>> already exist

>> around the country, including in New York City and California. The

>> restaurant industry supported a federal labeling rule so that it

>> would not

>> have to comply with a range of different regulations.

>>

>> A preliminary F.D.A. document on the rules released last summer

>> would have

>> included movie theaters.

>>

>> But Mr. said officials decided to write the rules so that

>> they would

>> apply only to establishments whose primary purpose was to sell food

>> or

>> where

>> at least half the floor space was dedicated to food sales.

>>

>> “The thinking has absolutely evolved based on comments we’ve

>> gotten from a

>> number of quarters,†Mr. said. “This is a different

>> drawing of the

>> circle of what is covered by this law.â€

>>

>> Under the change, the law also would not apply to bowling alleys,

>> carnivals,

>> airplanes and other establishments where the primary purpose was

>> not the

>> sale of food.

>>

>> But it would cover convenience stores and supermarkets that offer

>> ready-to-eat items like hot dogs, deli sandwiches or rotisserie

>> chicken, as

>> long as they were part of a chain of sufficient size. In such

>> establishments

>> and in restaurants, each item on a salad bar would have to be

>> labeled to

>> show how many calories were in a serving.

>>

>> Mr. said the rules would not cover alcohol sold in restaurants

>> because the F.D.A. did not have jurisdiction to regulate alcohol.

>>

>> In a separate proceeding, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade

>> Bureau is

>> considering whether to require nutritional information on the

>> labels of

>> alcoholic beverages.

>>

>> Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy of the Center for

>> Science in

>> the Public Interest<

>>

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/center_for_s\

cience_in_the_public_interest/index.html?inline=nyt-org

>>> ,

>> said leaving out movie theaters from the new rules was a mistake.

>>

>> “It doesn’t matter whether you happen to be watching a movie

>> while you’re

>> eating,†Ms. Wootan said. “Those calories still count.â€

>>

>> The center, an advocacy group, has issued reports showing that at

>> some

>> theaters, a large tub of popcorn with butter topping can contain

>> nearly

>> 1,500 calories. A large soda can contain 500 calories. Federal

>> dietary

>> guidelines say that the average person needs about 2,000 calories a

>> day.

>> However, Ms. Wootan said that over all, calorie labeling on menus

>> would

>> help

>> people make healthier choices when they go out to eat, and she was

>> pleased

>> to see that the F.D.A. was moving relatively quickly to put the

>> rules in

>> place.

>>

>> The F.D.A. also issued proposed rules for calorie labeling on vending

>> machines, which was also required by the health care law. Under the

>> rules,

>> vending machine operators with 20 or more machines would have to

>> post the

>> calorie content of items they sell.

>>

>> The National Association of Theater Owners, a trade group, had

>> called for

>> movie theaters to be exempt from the menu labeling law. On its Web

>> site,

>> the

>> group said that movies were “escapist entertainment†and that

>> moviegoers

>> did

>> not go there with the intent of eating a meal. A representative of

>> the

>> group

>> could not be reached on Friday.

>>

>> The federal rules would take the place of local or state laws for

>> chain

>> restaurants and other establishments covered by the federal

>> regulations.

>> But

>> local governments would be free to create laws for establishments

>> that were

>> left outside the federal rules. New York City’s labeling law alre

>> ady

>> requires movie theater chains to post calorie information. It also

>> requires

>> calorie labeling for alcoholic beverages listed on menus at

>> restaurant

>> chains.

>> LINK<

>>

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/business/02menu.html?_r=1 & nl=todaysheadlines & e\

mc=tha25

>>>

>> --

>> Ortiz, MS, RD

>> *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

>> Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

>> Free subscription to Newsweek while supplies

>> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17948>Free

>> subscription to Wall Street Journal while supplies

>> last<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17946>

>> Watch. Practice. Learn almost anything—for free. Khan

>> Academy<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=17921>Made

>> my own " funny but real " movie: Me interviewing a " potential " Dietetic

>> student <

>>

>> *Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

>> *

>>

>> *at the years people have behind them but also the

>> *

>>

>> *quality of the years ahead of them.*

>>

>>

>>