Local Restaurants Unwilling To Pay For Calorie Testing

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Health concerns have prompted Columbus leaders to ask local restaurants to voluntarily list calorie information, but many businesses may base their participation on the cost.

Columbus Public Health says two out of every five grade-school students tested in Columbus are overweight and among adults the figures is three in five. One in 14 has diabetes.

In Columbus' Clintonville neighborhood, Lavash Cafe owner Nasir Latif says calorie counters will find plenty of choices at his Mediterranean restaurant.

He is willing to display nutritional information on his menu, but he is not willing to pay for scientific testing to determine precise calorie counts.

"If I want to take this stuff to go to the lab, of course, it's going to cost me a lot of money. But if the city provides us with some help, I have no problem with it," Latif said.

Columbus Public Health has requested federal grant funding that could help 20 to 30 restaurants pay for detailed nutritional information.

Last week the city announced the formation of a Healthy Choices Committee, which will request that local restaurants provide healthy menu options and voluntarily list nutritional info.

Bob Evans and Subway are among the companies voluntarily listing calories on some menu items. Their stores in New York City, Philadelphia and Seattle are required to display calorie counts by law.

A recent Stanford University study that found Starbucks customers in New York City cut calories by 6 percent when nutrition info was posted, without affecting store profits.

Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long said she is monitoring those cities as Columbus begins its voluntary initiative. Long said she hopes national restaurant chains that already have nutritional data will voluntarily list their calorie counts here in Columbus.

Marino's Fish and Chips on West Fifth Avenue is not a national chain. It does not have nutritional data for its food. But even if it did, manager Lisa Houck does not think her store needs to list calories.

"When people come in and want a fried fish dinner, they know they're not going to come in and eat a 400-calorie meal." Houck said.

Houck acknowledges her biggest objection is cost. Like Latif, Houck argues testing food in a lab would be too expensive, and she is worried customers armed with exact nutritional information would order less at the store's expense.

Long said computer software can estimate food-calorie counts based on the ingredients used in a particular dish.

State law prevents the city of Columbus from requiring restaurants to list calories without the approval of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

An ODA spokesperson said that any nutritional listing requirement would need to be statewide and could not apply to one specific city.

Long said that pending federal legislation also could influence the Healthy Choices Committee's work in Columbus.

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