Bill sets out to tackle obesity rates in Prince George’s County

WASHINGTON — Do you really want to know how many calories are in that meal you just ordered? You may not be able to avoid that in Prince George’s County, if a new bill passes.

The bill would require restaurants with five or more locations in the county to list calorie and salt content for “permanent” menu items or face a $100 fine. The bill is the brainchild of County Councilman Eric Olson, and the idea is to take a bite out of the statistics that show seven out of 10 Prince George’s County residents are overweight or even obese and that more than seventy percent of the restaurants in the county are fast-food restaurants. Those are some interesting numbers to chew on.

Clearly, the bill will affect a lot of fast-food restaurants, the Gazette reports. The fast-food spots are one of the primary sources of restaurant food in the county and he thinks the bill will help residents make healthier decisions.

A Prince George’s County committee will meet soon to talk about Olson’s bill and send its opinion back to the council, which will then take a vote.

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