Published: March 12, 2009

As you come up the subway stairs in Columbus Circle, Starbucks shines in all its glory at the corner of 60th and Broadway. With its alluring, rich coffee scent permeating the atmosphere and the shiny Macs winking as you pass, it’s impossible to ignore the signs that nirvana is so close to school.

You march in, excited to start the day off right. As you wait in line to order your usual, you eye the dessert stand surreptitiously, contemplating if you should take one for the walk to class. But wait, what is that sign underneath the tiny espresso brownie: 370 what?! There are that many calories in that piece of crumb?! You’re shocked, but you also left your willpower at home. You succumb to your craving, pay for the brownie and feel even guiltier about your guilty pleasure.

By now, most of us have noticed the numbers that have started to pop up on menus of various restaurants and food chains, ever since the “calorie count” regulation was enforced last July. In an effort to curb obesity, the city has required food chains with more than 15 outlets throughout the country to reveal the calories on their menus. And Starbucks isn’t the only place serving up a side of shock on their menus. Its rival, Dunkin Donuts, has its own set of surprises, including a low-fat blueberry muffin that exceeds a glazed donut by 80 calories.

However, is this wake-up call really effective in forcing people to make wiser, healthier food choices? Or are Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students ignoring these numbers and ordering whatever they crave, even if it sets them back 800 calories?

Justine Stola, FCLC ’09, changed her order at Starbucks in response to the published calorie counts.

“I was really surprised! I used to enjoy caramel macchiatos and frappachinos from Starbucks, but now I stick to regular coffee with skim milk,” Stola said.

Another avid Starbucks consumer, Meredith Greene, FCLC ’10, is grateful for the calorie counts, because they have made her more health-conscious.

“I used to order muffins and loafs from Starbucks, because it was a quick and easy snack to grab between classes,” Greene said. “But after seeing that they are at least 400 calories each, I have replaced them with oatmeal and fruit.”

Other students expressed alarm at the calories in sandwiches from places like Quiznos and Subway.

“To actually see the calories makes you think twice. It’s surprising when it comes to sandwich places that claim to be healthier, but you see all the calories and it’s alarming,” said Tianna Cummings, FCLC ’09.

This exposure to calories is causing students to question what qualifies as “healthy” food. Cummings expressed concern over the fact that certain foods are labeled as “healthy,” while containing upwards of 600 calories.

“You wonder if there really is a healthy snack or meal that is actually tasty,” Cummings said.

Many FCLC students confirmed that the published calorie counts have had a positive effect on them, making them more health-conscious.

“I’ve been affected by the display of calorie counts in restaurants and other food stores; it’s caused me to choose lower calorie foods that I probably wouldn’t have ordered otherwise,” said Sydney Snyder, FCLC ’10.

“I was never aware of the calories in what I was consuming. I think the displays have made me healthier; now I tend to look at the menu and make my decision based more on calories then based on what looks best,” Stola said.

Konstantine Lejbuk, FCRH ’09, remembered how he “freaked out” when he first realized how unhealthy a lot of his favorite foods are.

“It has made me more conscious when choosing what I want to eat when I’m out,” Lejbuk said. “I’ve noticed it when I go out to eat. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, two of my roommates and I went out to dinner at Olive Garden, and we made a game out of finding which meal had the most calories in it. We then looked for what had the least amount and ordered that instead.”

While many students have found themselves more aware of what they are consuming as a result of the new calorie displays, others expressed an indifference to the calorie counts simply because they already know what’s healthy.

“Well, I have never really been concerned with counting calories at all,” said Daniel de Corral, FCRH ’10. “I feel that I usually have a good grasp of what is good and bad for me and have remained relatively healthy. If I have a certain craving for something, I’ll just eat it in moderation.”

“I don’t pay too much attention to the calorie counts because I am not a health freak,” said Lemonia Mavrogeorgis, FCLC ’09.

“The calorie counts sometimes do surprise me, but they don’t really discourage me from eating what I want,” said Will O’Donnell, FCRH ’10. “They just kind of make me laugh at what a bad choice I’m making. They definitely haven’t made me healthier.”

The response is mixed, yet there is little doubt that most students have at the least noticed these numbers. But are the numbers powerful enough to influence food choices on a large scale? Are people now suppressing their cravings for the sake of eating a little healthier?

“I think a lot of people are paying attention, but I am not sure if it’s curbing obesity. Some people still don’t care and continue to get what they want, no matter what the calorie count says. I guess we would have to wait until it’s in effect for a few years to really know the difference it’s making, if any,” Stola said.

“Hopefully, once people see just how bad certain foods are, they will only eat them occasionally, and instead of having one of those crazy Starbucks things that are more like melted ice cream than coffee for breakfast, they will just have a small black coffee and a banana,” de Corral said.

“I think it is working to an extent, but so far, it’s only in the city and hasn’t spread to where I live, which I think would make more people actually react to the calories they are taking in,” Lejbuk said. “I live an hour north of Manhattan, and the few times I have gone out, there haven’t been any calorie counts.”

“I think it’s a good effort, but it’s up to the people themselves to curb their obesity, not restaurants, because you can’t make someone lose weight if they don’t want to,” Mavrogeorgis said. “I’m not sure if people are paying attention, unless the calories are right in their [faces]—but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will stop bad habits.”