Calorie counts and serving sizes

A new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that many grocery and restaurant foods understate their food energy (calorie) contents by 8% to 18% on average. Some restaurant items had double the stated calories.

The study, by Prof. Susan Roberts and several other colleagues here at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts, concluded, "this phenomenon could hamper efforts to self-monitor energy intake to control weight."

For interesting coverage, see Marion Nestle, Time Magazine, Slate's Explainer, and Food Navigator.