And apparently it works!
How about labels that read: you need to take a brisk walk of __ minutes to burn off the calories in this sandwich?
Researchers from TCU (just the the north of us) did just that and the exercise-needed-to-burn-off label had more of an impact on what food was selected than the calorie, fat, protein, salt, etc label. In a paper presented at a recent meeting we are given the results http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/foas-mld041813.php.
They divided 300 men and women, 18-30 years, into three groups and studied response to the menu info and amount of calories eaten. One group got the usual label with fat, sugar, etc that we all see at chain restaurants (by law now), one group no label info, and the last group got only the time of a brisk walk needed to burn off the calories in the item eaten on the label.
The label with the "exercise needed" to burn off the calories in this item had the most impact!
In this study, there was no difference in consumption between the calories label and no label groups!
Maybe we should be thinking in terms of how far do I need to walk to burn off this egg, toast, jam and coffee with sugar and cream, and not just how much sugar, fat and carbs in each! You may look up calories burned per exercise many places, but one example is myfitnesspal at http://www.myfitnesspal.com.
As the authors note, for some an eye-opener: a 30 minute brisk walk without hills, like Ft Worth, burns around 150 calories; but with hills, like in Austin, burns about 200 calories!
Since we know that not being lean, independent of other factors, is implicated in at least 20% of all breast cancers, maybe we should change to this way of thinking.
Together we can prevent 86,000 breast cancers this year!
This content is general and not personal medical advice, but if you need a jump start to your next "brisk walk" call me 512-451-5788.
That is really smart! Explaining the caloric value of something you eat in exercise terms people can relate to. You can tell me this is 100 calories, but I would much rather know what I need to do to "earn" it, i.e. burn it through activity. Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
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