I would like to share a very inaccurate and damaging post from the Mayo Clinic website from two dietitians, Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

The author(s) claim that the “average” burger size in the U.S. is now 12 ounces, without toppings, the “average” fry portion being 6.7 ounces, and the “average” soda portion being 42 ounces. They may or may not have gotten their information from a CDC report they cite but don’t reference. These “averages” really represent the largest portions available in most markets and are nowhere near accurate. McDonald’s, the largest burger seller in the country, has a 2 ounce, 4 ounce and 5 ounce burger, with 2 – 4 ounce buns. The most popular pre-formed patty sizes sold through distributors are 4 ounce and 5 ounce sizes.

It’s articles like this that lead to regulations like what is being proposed in New York City by Mayor Bloomberg to limit the sizes of soft drinks available for purchase.

They wrote the article implying that restaurants might be responsible for making people eat larger portion sizes, as opposed to the real relationship between customers and restaurants of restaurants responding to customer demands and doing whatever it is that will keep customers coming through their doors so they can simply keep those doors open. This blame game starts with finger pointing and ends with the government eventually stepping in to tell you what you can and can’t sell in your restaurant, as witnessed currently with the proposed regulations in New York City. These regulations limit competition, drive up pricing and put independent restaurants out of business.

I urge all of you to comment on the Mayo Clinic article (no registration necessary) and express your disagreement with the mis-stated facts, and even urge the Mayo Clinic webmaster to take the inaccurate article down. If these statistics are actually contained in a CDC report, we need to get the National Restaurant Association involved in reviewing the study these “facts” are cited from as they are grossly inaccurate.

Here is the article, please comment: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/comments/MY02121_comments#post

Here is the Mayo Clinic “Contact” page to request this inaccurate article be removed: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/contact-us/contactus

If you are a National Restaurant Association member, contact them to ask that they look into possible damaging and inaccurate CDC reports that restaurants need amended: http://www.restaurant.org/login.cfm

Please help myself and others work to protect our industry.

Brandon O’Dell
O’Dell Restaurant Consulting
brandon@bodellconsulting.com
www.bodellconsulting.com