by Cathiesblogg

Created on: January 11, 2009   Last Updated: April 23, 2009

Should a restaurant be required to list calories and fat grams on their menus? Absolutely, In fact it should be a law "not" to list all the fat grams and calories in each of our restaurant foods. When you go to the grocery store and purchase packaged food in the frozen section, by law, a fat grams and calories list is required but restaurants seem to slip pass this law.

For some odd reason, it is not required by the Food and Drug Administration to provide nutrition information on the menu. But it is mandatory that if a restaurant does publish such information, it has to be accurate measurements.

The restaurant chains argue that mandatory menu-labeling laws restrict their "freedom to do business." But so do laws requiring them to pay a higher minimum wage, post health inspection grades and prohibit smoking - all of which they also opposed.

Did you know that industry groups in the U.S. have also fought against food-safety and product-labeling? I guess that shows us what they really "care" about, huh?

Statistics show that in the start of 2009, Obese American adults outweighs the number of those that are merely "chubby" or overweight. This is according to the Federal goverment.

In other words, more than 34 percent of Americans are obese. Just under 6 percent are "extremely" obese and 32.7 percent are just considered "overweight".

If this isn't enough to scare you then look at this.

The CDC stated that 11 percent of our children were "extremely" obese and 16 percent were obese. While over 32 percent of the United States youth are overweight. Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol These use to be exclusively adult diseases. American's have come a long way, huh?

Obese adults and children are more prone to low self-esteem, which can lead to depression

Over half of your typical families in America eat out at least three times a week! Even with the "recession" going on. It is proven that we had rather eat out then purchase many other luxury items.

Fact is, We enjoy the convience of eating out but shouldn't we have the right to know the true fat content of the food that we are paying for? Our families deserve that.

I say, any restaurant that doesn't list the true fat grams and calories on their menus should be fined. In fact, it should be right up their with the restaurant inspection scores and checked accordingly.

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