Supersize Me?

12 hundred calories a day. For some reason, that number sticks in my head -- the maximum number of calories to take in each day to maintain my diet. Really, 12 hundred is pretty easy to do. I've had to do 700 a day before. Would it help if more restaurants posted calorie charts? Would you eat less?

Scientific American Magazine quoted one small study conducted at an Asian-style fast food restaurant even tried to actively solicit customers to cut calories by asking if they would "like to downsize that" (rather than the now maligned "supersize that" offer) to cut 200 calories from their meals. About a third of consumers took the offer, but that rate did not improve when calorie counts were posted.

Seems even when presented with the calorie count in black and white, the only time make better choices is when somone holds us accountable.