How Accurate Are Restaurant Calorie Counts?

Americans are eating out more than ever before, but can we trust the calorie counts on restaurant menus? A new study published July 19 in Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, since 40 percent of the foods analyzed had more calories than stated on the menu. 19 percent of the time, the count was off by 100 or more calories, with one belly-busting side dish that contained upwards of 1,000 more calories than claimed on the menu. 

While many eateries do have trustworthy calorie counts, the US Department of Agriculture-funded study reported that the surprising rate of undercounts, especially for fattening foods, were hardly likely to be random error and could derail efforts to lose weight.  The researchers tested 269 randomly selected foods purchased at 42 restaurants in three states. MadOne