A new study suggests that including calorie information on fast food menus may lead to significantly reduced calorie intake in fast food restaurant meals purchased for children.

Researchers in Seattle surveyed 99 parents of children between the ages of 3 and 6 about their fast food dining habits. When presented with a sample menu and asked what they would order, the parents who were shown menus that included calorie information chose 102 fewer calories on average for their children, compared with the group who did not have access to calorie information on their menus.

"Just an extra 100 calories per day may equate to about 10 pounds of weight gain per year," said the study’s lead author Dr. Pooja Tandon. "Our national childhood obesity epidemic has grown right alongside our fast food consumption. Anything we can do to help families make more positive choices could make a difference."

Researchers said their findings support nutritional menu labeling and show that when parents have access to this information they may make smarter meal choices for their children.