Nutrition labeling for retail food service menu items: College students’ preferences for nutrition information and its influence on purchasing intention Kelly Mayfield Apparel, Education Studies, & Hospitality Management Iowa State University Liang Tang, Ph.D. Apparel, Education Studies, & Hospitality Management Iowa State University Robert H. Bosselman, Ph.D. Apparel, Education Studies, & Hospitality Management Iowa State University Abstract Due to the link that has been established with obesity and foods prepared outside the home, recent research has emphasized examining the potential health benefits of providing nutrition information on restaurant menus in fighting the nation’s obesity epidemic. This study examines whether college students find macronutrient facts, specific nutrient facts, or health claims important to appear on restaurant menus and whether the presence of this information affects intent to purchase an item. Key words: food service, nutrition information, restaurant menus, nutrient facts, health claims Introduction Over the past two decades, the rate of obesity among the U.S. population has increased substantially (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009) putting millions of Americans at heightened risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and breathing complications (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007). The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 played a role in improving the overall dietary quality in the 70-85% of the population which will sometimes use the nutrition label (Savage & Johnson, 2006). Because about 50% of food expenditures are spent on eating away from home recent research has shifted focus to nutrition content of foods eaten away from the home (Harnack & French, 2008). As such, much of the food the nation eats today is not required to have a nutrition fact panel, nutrition claims, or nutrition reference amount because this information is not mandatory to appear on all food service menus or point of sale materials (Shields, 1996). When nutrition facts are not made available to the consumer, discrepancies occur between actual nutrition content of food and what the consumer believes to be the nutrition content of food. Current research indicates consumers greatly underestimate fat, saturated fat, and sodium levels in food eaten away from the home (Burton, Creyer, Kees & Huggins, 2006). Due to the link that has been established with obesity and foods prepared outside the home, recent research has emphasized examining the potential health benefits of providing nutrition information on restaurant menus in fighting the obesity epidemic. The addition of calorie and nutrient information has been shown to influence attitudes, purchasing intentions, and