A big applause for New York City health officials and a federal judge who have now made it mandatory that NY restaurants clearly post complete caloric content for each item on menus and menu boards. Restaurants with at least 15 chains nationwide, such as McDonalds, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, and Olive Garden, must comply with the new law or face monetary penalties.



Health officials, who acknowledge that more than half of New Yorkers are overweight, believe that the blatant posting of calories will lead people to think twice about eating a 1000 calorie lunch when many diets only allow 1200-1500 for the whole day.

Officials are hoping that this 'dieting by guilt' approach will help to decrease waistlines, as well as the heart disease, cancer, and diabetes that obesity contributes to. High level ranking officials from the surgeon general's office, as well as the American Cancer Society, have confirmed that obesity absolutely increases risk of all three of these top leading diseases. They have also acknowledge that obesity has reached epidemic status in the United States.

Several years ago New York banned smoking in all bars and restaurants. Based on this, the new law of posting calories makes lots of sense, since obesity now kills more U.S. citizens than smoking.

The next time your lunch break includes a Big Mac, Large Fry, and Large Coke from McDonalds be aware that you have just consumed 1350 calories. As mentioned earlier, most diets allow 1200 to 1500 for the entire day. Top it off with a fancy Starbuck's drink on your way back to the office, and add another 300-400 calories, with some drinks approaching 800 calories.

With some quick arithmetic, it's not hard to see why obesity is an epidemic. Any extra calories that you bring in that you don't burn gets converted to fat in stored in your adipose tissue (fat). Our bodies are very efficient at doing this which is why it is so easy to gain weight.

"Something needs to be done about the obesity epidemic. It all begins with education, and our schools and society are dropping the ball. We all need to do more to end this epidemic. We need to do a better job getting the word out about nutrition. I think the courts made a very good decision today requiring that the calorie facts be posted by the restaurants. It is at least a start." Professor Jay Snaric, author of the 9th Law Diet Plan.

Next time your eating out you might think twice about what you order.