How the Perceived Healthfulness of Restaurant Menu Items Influences Sodium and Calorie Misperceptions: Implications for Nutrition Disclosures in Chain Restaurants

Abstract

The authors address some implications of recent legislation that will require calorie labeling for national chain restaurants. Drawing from the health halo and information disclosure literatures, the potential positive consumer outcomes associated with the disclosure of calorie (only) and additional nutrient information are examined. Results across four studies show that while most consumers underestimate calorie levels of restaurant menu items, the degree of underestimation is substantially greater for sodium. The provision of sodium content levels for menu items, in addition to calorie information, influences purchase intentions and choices of consumers with high health risk levels, but has little effect on other consumers. Reducing Americans' average daily intake of sodium (currently 3,400 mg) to the recommended level of 2,300 mg could eliminate 11 million cases of high blood pressure and prevent 92,000 annual deaths (Palar and Sturm 2009). Therefore, the results have potentially significant implications for consumer health and welfare and the restaurant industry.