In a recent development, restaurants will have to now mention the calorie content next to each item on their menu boards and on their table menus. Laurels will be given to the first fast food chain which chooses to do so before regulations mandate that it moves.

The citizens of Australia are scrambling to catch up with the United States when it somes to tackling the over-consumption of fatty foods, sugar and salt. All these food items add to a large part of our health challenge as most of the grander policy issues being aired in the federal election.

The state of California and New York already have a mandate requiring restaurants to list out the calories content of each food item. Infact, the New York City regulation provides us with a specific definition of “Chain restaurant”. The regulation is applicable to those restaurants which are a part of a group of 20 or more and therefore it leaves out a “mom and pop” hamburger store or a fish chips outlet.

US president Obama has included this provision in his recent healthcare legislation and it will take effect next year.