Memo for Focus Group on Menu Labeling

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service

Food and Drug Administration

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Memorandum

Date October 29, 2010

From PRA Specialist, Paperwork Reduction and Records Management Staff
Office of Information Management

Subject Request for Approval of FDA Focus Groups: “Restaurant Menu Labeling”; OMB Control No. 0910-0497

To Human Resources and Housing Branch

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB

Through: HHS Reports Clearance Officer ____________

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)/Office of Regulations, Policy and Social Sciences is seeking OMB approval under the generic clearance 0910-0497 to conduct a focus group study, “Restaurant Menu Labeling,” to collect information about consumer reaction to and understanding of the display of calorie information on restaurant menus and menu boards. This information will inform the development of follow-up quantitative research. The requirements of the menu labeling law include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Disclosing the number of calories in each standard menu item on menus and menu boards;

• Providing a succinct statement on menus and menu boards to put the calories in the context of a suggested total daily caloric intake;

• Making written material available upon request that includes additional nutritional information for the standard menu items; and

• A determination by FDA regarding how calorie information should be displayed when there are different varieties of a menu item (e.g., ice cream flavors, pizza with different toppings) or different combination meals (e.g. hamburger, fries, drink).

The purpose of the study is to explore consumer reaction to and understanding of the display of calorie information in restaurants on menus and menu boards where there is variability inherent in the choice (i.e., different flavors, combos and varieties.) The study will also examine consumer responses to the succinct statement about calorie needs and additional written information. In developing the study, we have consulted existing literature on how to display nutrition information on menus, menu boards and in written materials as well as the formats and contents of calorie declaration used by state and local jurisdictions that have already implemented their own rules prior to the Act.

Ten focus groups will be conducted in four locations: Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA; Seattle, WA; and Dallas, TX. The groups will consist of participants who frequent fast-food or sit-down chain restaurants at least once a month and who ate in such a restaurant at least once in the past month. The groups will be segmented based on education and income. Half of the groups will be conducted with lower education/income participants and half of the groups will be conducted with higher education/income participants. The groups will include a mix of both women and men of various ages (18 and over). Each group will include at least four participants living in a family with children. We will recruit 12 participants for each group, and expect to have 8 to 10 participants per group. No more than 12 participants will participate in a group.

The Contractor will contact prospective participants by telephone and screen them for eligibility (see Appendix I). To maximize participation rate, recruiters will contact each potential participant at least five times to screen for eligibility and recruit for participation. Additionally, participants will receive a reminder call and confirmation letter before the groups convene. Each participant will also receive a $75.00 cash incentive for their time and participation.

With the aid of a moderator’s guide and test materials (see Appendices II and III), a moderator will guide the group discussions. The time required for screening and participation will be 2.1 hours per participant. There will be a total of no more than 120 participants in ten groups, producing a total estimated participant burden of 252 hours.

FDA plans to have all group discussions completed before mid-December, 2010, so the results can be used to inform the conceptualization and design of follow-up quantitative research on the subject matter.

If you have any questions, please contact Denver Presley at 301-796-3793.

Attachments:

Appendix I. Participant Screener

Appendix II. Moderator’s Guide

Appendix III. Test Materials: Examples of Calorie Display

Appendix IV. Test Materials: Nutrient Information Handouts