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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2008.153205v1 99/11/2001    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Chu, Y. H. Articles by Kaye, G. L. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chu, Y. H. Articles by Kaye, G. L. Related Collections Obesity, Overweight, Underweight Health Policy Nutrition/Food

Yong H. Chu, MPH, Edward A. Frongillo, PhD, Sonya J. Jones, PhD and Gail L. Kaye, PhD, RD

At the time of this study, Yong H. Chu was with The Ohio State University, Columbus; he is currently with the Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia. Edward A. Frongillo and Sonya J. Jones are with the Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia. Gail L. Kaye is with the Department of Human Nutrition, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus.

Correspondence: Correspondence should be sent to Yong H. Chu, Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, Health Sciences Bldg, 221A, 800 Sumter St, Columbia, SC 29208 (chuy{at}mailbox.sc.edu). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the "Reprints/Eprints" link.

Objectives. We examined changes in meal selection by patrons of university food-service operations when nutrition labels were provided at the point of selection.

Methods. We used a quasi-experimental, single-group, interrupted time-series design to examine daily sales before, during, and after provision of point-of-selection nutrition labels. Piecewise linear regression was employed to examine changes in the average energy content of entrées and a paired t test was used to detect differences in sales across the periods.

Results. The average energy content of entrées purchased by patrons dropped immediately when nutrition labels were made available at point of selection and increased gradually when nutrition information was removed. There was no significant change in number of entrées sold or in revenues between the 2 periods.

Conclusions. Use of nutrition labels reduced the average energy content of entrées purchased without reducing overall sales. These results provide support for strengthening the nutrition labeling policy in food-service operations.