WASHINGTON, D.C. As the Food and Drug Administration today released a report calling on restaurants to provide consumers with nutritional information, Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) said she would reintroduce the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act, when Congress returns next week. The MEAL Act would require fast-food and large chain restaurants to list calories, saturated and trans fat, and sodium content on printed menus, and list only calories for menu boards since space is limited.

This bill will provide people with a way to combat obesity a life-threatening trend that is growing at a rapid pace in our country, said DeLauro. The MEAL Act will give consumers the necessary nutritional information to make healthy choices for themselves. With Americans maintaining busy lifestyles, eating out has become a more practical way to dine for busy families. Yet few restaurants provide easy-to-use, easy-to-find nutrition information. We must address this issue to combat rising health risks

Obesity rates have doubled in adults and children over the past 20 years, and tripled in teens. Obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, and depression, and accounts for $94 billion in annual health care costs, half of which is paid through Medicare and Medicaid.

The report released today by the FDA said Americans now consume fully one-third of their daily intake of calories outside the home. And according to Agriculture Department statistics cited in the report, Americans are averaging 300 more calories per day than they were 15 years ago.

The MEAL Act would extend the very successful nutrition labeling requirement on packaged foods to include offerings at fast-food and other large chain restaurants. Small local chains and neighborhood restaurants would be exempt from this requirement. And the bill only would apply to standard menu items, and not to changing daily specials or special customer orders.

The MEAL Act was first introduced in the 108th Congress. Companion legislation was also introduced in the Senate by Tom Harkin of Iowa.