Yielding to pressure, McDonald’s is on the verge of the first fast food chain to display the calorie-count information on its menu boards of its 1,200 outlets from this week!

McDonald’s decision to display the calories-related information on its menus comes in the wake of the obesity problem in the UK.

Even though some people may simply not care about counting calories while savoring McDonald’s meals, it is being presumed that the move may be of great help – given the fact that in New York, where the calories counts have been on display since 2008, there has been a reported drop in average lunchtime purchases, from 829 to 785 calories.

The display of the calorie counts on the McDonald’s menu boards will apparently help the customers realize that a Big Mac with medium fries has 820 calories – an information which may be of help against the backdrop that the recommended calorie intake a day is approximately 2,500 for a man and 1,900 for a woman.

With as many as 37 firms – including KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks – having joined the voluntary scheme, as part of the Government's Public Health Responsibility Deal, nearly 5,000 food outlets will offer calorie-count menus by 2011 end --- a move which, as per Health Secretary Andrew Lansley help fast-food fans “spot those hidden calories in their favourite foods and keep an eye on their waistlines”!