If you've made a resolution to lose some weight and haven't, even though you've been diligently counting calories, there could be a good reason for that. The calories listed on your frozen entrees from the supermarket and those posted by your favorite restaurant may be much higher than advertised.
A study published in the current month's Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that menu items at 10 chain restaurants contained calories that were 18 percent higher on average than listed.
In the frozen food case, brands including Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, South Beach Living and Weight Watchers were eight percent higher than labeled.
Researchers said that the difference in actual calories was not a ruse being played out against unsuspecting consumers but boiled down to portion sizes, variations in ingredients and testing methods. The Food and Drug Administration requires packaged food to be within the 20 percent margin of the calories listed on packaging.
Bob Bertini, a spokesperson for Wendy's, told The Associated Press, "Since our food is prepared to order by restaurant teams, there can be small variances in the calorie count. For example, one sandwich might have a bit more mustard or ketchup. The next sandwich, the customer might choose to leave off the lettuce and tomato."
Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, said most people don't understand that calories listed on menus or packages are not exact.
"It would never occur to me that the calories posted on menu boards are anything close to reality," she told The Associated Press.
Discussion Questions: Do most consumers understand that calorie counts are intended as a guide and not a hard number? Will this report negatively affect consumer confidence in restaurant and frozen food brands?