It's a simple enough idea: Know how many calories are in those fast food meals, and you'll make a better choice between them.
But when students at the Columbia University School of Nursing tried to nail down the calories on 70 menus at 12 eateries in New York's Harlem neighborhood, they found it pretty much impossible, even with a calculator.
One big problem: Many items are listed with a calorie range, but with no clues as to how those ranges are determined. For example:
- A bucket of chicken was 2,200 to 5,860 calories.