listic comments on What information has surprised you most recently? - Less Wrong Discussion
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
Comments (122)
How is it supposed to change people's behavior?
I know If I read nutrition information in McDonald's it is to figure if I'm getting enough calories from my food (often I don't). I might be more willing to eat at a restaurant where nutrition information is easily available, but is that the change you had in mind?
People eating fewer calories.
The hypothesis that people on average will cut the calories in their orders when the amount of calories is labeled looks very non-obvious. I can see several opposing factors that might be in play when the restaurant starts to make nutrition information available:
I think it's presumptuous to conclude that labeling the amount of calories in food "totally fails to change people's eating behaviors at all", but rather that measuring the average calories in the orders is not enough and more thorough investigation is needed.
"The hypothesis that people on average will cut the calories in their orders when the amount of calories is labeled looks very non-obvious"
It may be, but nonetheless, reducing obesity is the justification for recent restraunt labeling laws.