MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Posting calorie counts by menu items does little to change eating habits, the Washington Post reports. With the new national menu-labeling law to take effect at the end of this year, some are questioning whether the data will lower American weight.

Earlier this year, Montgomery County chain restaurants began posting calorie information as required by a new law, which was designed to curb obesity. But a growing body of research finds that most people either ignore the data or end up eating more calories after viewing the labels.

"There is a great concern among many of the people who study calorie labeling that the policy has moved way beyond the science and that it would be beneficial to slow down," said George Loewenstein, who researches calorie labeling in his position as a behavioral economist at Carnegie Mellon University.

Some restaurants are revamping menus to squeeze in lower-calorie offerings ahead of the national legislation coming into effect. But some restaurants in Montgomery County say they have experienced no change in ordering this year even with calorie counts prominently displayed.

"Have we seen a big [drop] in sales? No, not at all," said Todd Stallings, who owns several Five Guys restaurants. "When people come to Five Guys, they know we are not cooking their french fries in water."

From New York City to Montgomery County, studies have found little changes in how people eat restaurant food. "Consumers really should be using this information because it can be helpful to them," said Lisa Harnack, a University of Minnesota nutritionist who studied how people reacted to calorie counts in restaurants. "I was optimistic we would find that people would make different choices based on having more information."

NACS recently submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration arguing that convenience stores should be exempt from the menu-labeling regulations.