For years food companies have been complying with the mandated NLEA information under the assumption that they help consumers make better food choices. Based on FDA labeling laws, industry initiatives and the Affordable Care Act we’ve seen calorie counts added to the sides of food packages, the front of packages, restaurant menus and even the drive up window. But is it working? Most studies say no.

Well now researchers at Johns Hopkins may have finally found a way to change behavior and food habits… by providing context to our food choices instead of just numbers. In a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers made calorie concepts more blunt, specifically showing how much exercise it would take to work off the calories in popular soft drinks, juices and sports drinks in six random Baltimore corner markets. They tracked purchases before and after the signage was added and found noticeable changes in consumer behavior.

Read more at Pivot Forward