Smarter than you think!

Early reports about the negative effect of calorie labeling underestimated people's intelligence -- and also employed questionable sampling techniques. Now read this: Menu-labeling laws are changing food purchases in New York City, study finds

With the exception of Subway diners, where a special promotional offer made the larger size more appealing, customers who read the calories averaged smaller calorie counts:

Paying attention seems to be the biggest factor in whether people choose less caloric offerings. Customers who said they saw and acted on posted calorie information purchased 106 fewer calories than those who did not notice or did not use the information.

The city agency surveyed more than 10,000 customers at 275 locations of 13 different fast-food and coffee chains throughout the city in the spring of 2007 and over 12,000 in 2009, nearly a year after the requirements began.

Calorie labeling is not intrusive, doesn't pick on anyone because of their body type or other prejudicial factors, and evidently gives some people information that they wish to act on. I'm glad the earlier claims have been contradicted.