Editorial: Popcorn burns diets, needs labels

Would knowing that movie theater popcorn has almost the same caloric content as three Big Macs… Would knowing that movie theater popcorn has almost the same caloric content as three Big Macs prevent you from ordering everybody’s favorite showtime snack?

Probably not.

But maybe you’d eat less of it.

According to Bloomberg News, movie theaters are fighting a federal requirement for nutrition labels on their popcorn — which contain as many as 1,460 calories, more calories than a Big Mac meal with a medium fry and a medium Coke. The requirement spawns from a provision in the health care law requiring chain restaurants with at least 20 U.S. locations to list caloric contents on their menus. According to the article, around 30 percent of movie theater annual revenue comes from food sales.

Although we think labeling popcorn is a positive measure, we think that at some point labeling has to end and personal responsibility has to begin.

For one thing, labeling can be deceptive. Many products list calories per serving size instead of per package — even though most people typically eat the entire package. For example: Pop-Tarts come packaged in pairs, but the nutritional label is based off a one-pastry serving size. This can be misleading to consumers who only glance quickly at the calorie count and neglect to read the serving size.

In addition, a calorie count on movie theater popcorn might not be accurate since the same amount of butter is not consistently applied to each serving. Even the calorie counts for Subway sandwiches are listed sans cheese and condiments.

Basically, it’s pretty easy for restaurants to convince consumers that what they are eating isn’t actually that unhealthy.

Even though labels should allow people to better practice moderation, we aren’t sure that movie theaters would actually have to worry about a decrease in popcorn sales.

According to MSNBC, researchers from the Duke National University of Singapore found that letting consumers know how many calories are in their food might do little to change their eating habits.

It seems to us that ignorance is not the problem but instead a sedentary society with a palate accustomed to calorie-dense but nutrient-void foods.

MSNBC reports that the average American attends six movies a year. That’s far less frequently than the average American eats out at a restaurant. So as long as you aren’t going to the movies multiple times a week, splurging on a little high-calorie popcorn isn’t that big of a deal. Just consider getting a smaller size or splitting it with some friends.