A new poll commissioned by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) found that most of its 523 respondents, given a choice of four menu items from popular restaurant chains, were unable to identify the dishes lowest in calories, salt and fat.

Which dish at Denny’s do you think has the lowest calories: a ham and cheddar omelet, country fried steak and eggs, three slices of French toast with syrup and margarine, or three pancakes with syrup and margarine?

The surprising answer: Country fried steak and eggs.

The poll’s other three questions asked respondents to make similar choices from Chili’s, Macaroni Grill and McDonald’s menu items.

Despite education and income level, none of the respondents answered all four questions correctly, and 68 percent failed all of them. Less than 1 percent answered three of four questions correctly.

“I have a doctorate in public health, and I failed this quiz,” Dr. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the CCPHA, said. “Common sense does not help... who would think that a large chocolate shake at McDonald’s has more calories than two Big Macs?”

The CCPHA said the poll’s results contrast with the restaurant industry’s claims that eateries “offer plenty of healthy choices and people just need to order better.”

Eighty-four percent of the CCPHA poll’s respondents supported requiring restaurant chains to post nutritional information. In recent years many chains have voluntarily posted nutritional information online or in their restaurants.

Read the full story at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18178901/

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