NASHVILLE — Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen has vetoed a bill that would prohibit Tennessee cities and counties from requiring restaurants to provide calorie counts on menus.

The governor said in a letter Wednesday to Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville that Tennessee faces an epidemic of obesity that's continuing to grow at a rapid rate.

Bredesen said the prohibition would "irresponsibly limit our state's ability to fight this epidemic."

The governor said he hopes the General Assembly will reconsider the issue next year.