After the release of the “Xtreme Eating Awards” list by the Nutrition Action Healthletter, CHS responds both positively and negatively to the extreme foods.

At first glance, the The Cheesecake Factory’s Crispy Chicken Costoletta (Crispy Chicken Costoletta) looks like an average fried-chicken meal, but one would never guess that this entre actually contains 2,610 calories and 2,720 milligrams of sodium.
“The Cheesecake Factory is a place I go with my family a lot,” sophomore Ari Brown said. “I never expected that the (Crispy Chicken Costoletta) could be that fattening because I’ve had it a few times before.”
According to a 2013 “Xtreme Eating Awards” list released by the Nutrition Action Healthletter, common dishes consumed at chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, IHOP and Chili’s can contain over a day’s worth of calories and sodium.
Brown said he has eaten at The Cheesecake Factory since he was 10 and he frequently goes there because he thinks the food is rich and savory, but after finding out that his favorite dishes have such high calorie counts, his view on restaurants changed drastically.
“My mom is a nutritionist, and at home we have lots of organic foods and wheat products, but knowing that foods could be so fattening, I’m definitely going to think twice before I order something,” Brown said.
Shortly after the release of the extreme Foods list, Clare Politano, Communications Coordinator at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), said the CSPI released a January 2013 article that stressed the need for regulating calorie-labeling provisions for chain restaurants. Politano said she agrees completely with the importance of thinking before eating.
“Restaurant patrons usually have very little knowledge of the nutritional or caloric contents of their meals,” Politano said via email. “Restaurants are currently not required to provide that information yet.”
Another dish that tops the list of extreme foods is the Country Fried Steak & Eggs served at IHOP. The meal contains 1,760 calories and 3,760 milligrams of sodium, two and a half day’s worth of salt.
Although sophomore Sydney Kadinger was surprised to find one of her favorite dishes topping the list of extreme foods, she said this would not stop her from ordering it the next time she is at IHOP.
“It was really good, and I don’t have to worry about it too much because I can exercise it off by working out and playing softball,” Kadinger said.
But according to Politano, consuming that much sodium frequently can be a huge health risk.
“One-third of Americans are overweight, and an additional third are obese. Obesity is a disease,” Politano said.  “And eating more than necessary can lead to high blood pressure and saturated fat, which contributes to heart disease.”
According to Politano, menu-labeling of calorie counts was mandated in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 by President Barack Obama, but has yet to be implemented because the FDA has not yet issued the regulations for this new rule. She said the CSPI expects to see the regulations released sometime this year.
“When dining out, it’s safe to assume that appetizers, main courses, and desserts each have around 1,000 calories,” Politano said. “So skip the appetizers and dessert and split an entree with a friend to ensure you’re eating a healthy and appropriate amount of food for one meal.”