Short answer
Design menus with prominent calorie information to guide consumers towards lower-energy options.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- Public Health Nutrition (2015)
- Method
- Systematic review and meta-analysis
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Providing calorie information on menus can significantly decrease the amount of energy consumers order and consume when eating out. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in Public Health Nutrition. Using Systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design menus with prominent calorie information to guide consumers towards lower-energy options.
Menu calorie labelling reduces energy ordered and consumed by 100 kcal
Providing calorie information on menus can significantly decrease the amount of energy consumers order and consume when eating out.
Public Health Nutrition · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Menu labelling can effectively reduce energy ordered and consumed.
- 02Overall energy consumed was reduced by a mean of 419.5 kJ (100.2 kcal).
- 03Energy ordered in real-world settings decreased by a mean of 325.7 kJ (77.8 kcal).
Application
Design takeaway
Design menus with prominent calorie information to guide consumers towards lower-energy options.
How to apply
When designing menus for restaurants or food outlets, include calorie counts next to each item. Test different visual presentations of this information to see what is most effective.
Project actions
- 01When designing a food product or service, consider how information can be presented to influence user choices.
- 02Think about how your design can contribute to healthier lifestyles or environmental goals.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Systematic review and meta-analysis provide a robust synthesis of existing evidence.
- +Inclusion of both real-world and experimental settings offers a comprehensive view.
Limitations
The effectiveness of calorie labelling might vary depending on the target audience, cultural context, and the specific restaurant environment.
Reliability & validity
The meta-analysis strengthens the reliability by aggregating results from multiple studies. Validity is supported by the systematic review process and quality assessment of included studies.
Think critically
While calorie labelling shows promise, consider other factors that influence food choices beyond just energy content, such as taste, price, convenience, and social influences. How might these interact with or be influenced by labelling?
Design Principles
"Informative design interventions can positively influence consumer behaviour for health and sustainability."
This insight is crucial for designers and product developers in the food service industry. It suggests that simple informational interventions can influence consumer behaviour towards healthier choices, contributing to broader public health and sustainability goals by potentially reducing overall caloric intake.
What This Means for Your Design
Putting calorie numbers on menus helps people choose food with fewer calories, leading them to eat less overall.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this study to justify the inclusion of informational elements in your design project, especially if it relates to health or consumer choice.
- 2.Cite this research when discussing how design can influence behaviour towards more sustainable or healthier outcomes.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research demonstrates that the inclusion of calorie information on menus is an effective strategy for reducing energy ordered and consumed in food service settings, with an average reduction of approximately 100 kcal per meal. This highlights the power of informative design interventions to positively influence consumer behaviour towards healthier choices, a principle that can be applied to various design projects aiming for social or environmental impact.
Source
Public Health Nutrition
Menu labelling is effective in reducing energy ordered and consumed: a systematic review and meta-analysis of recent studies
journal · 2015
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about menu calorie labelling reduces energy ordered and consumed by 100 kcal?
- Design menus with prominent calorie information to guide consumers towards lower-energy options. Evidence: Public Health Nutrition (2015).
- Why does "Menu calorie labelling reduces energy ordered and consumed by 100 kcal" matter for design?
- This insight is crucial for designers and product developers in the food service industry. It suggests that simple informational interventions can influence consumer behaviour towards healthier choices, contributing to broader public health and sustainability goals by potentially reducing overall caloric intake.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design menus with prominent calorie information to guide consumers towards lower-energy options.
- What were the main findings?
- Menu labelling can effectively reduce energy ordered and consumed.. Overall energy consumed was reduced by a mean of 419.5 kJ (100.2 kcal).. Energy ordered in real-world settings decreased by a mean of 325.7 kJ (77.8 kcal).
- What research method was used?
- Systematic review and meta-analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2015 journal from Public Health Nutrition.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing menus for restaurants or food outlets, include calorie counts next to each item. Test different visual presentations of this information to see what is most effective.
- What are the limitations?
- The review included studies published only between 2012 and 2014, and some studies had methodological weaknesses.