How do you feel when you see calories listed on restaurant menus? Helped, shamed, or just plain annoyed? Debate on the issue has reignited after a study found restaurants that have adopted calorie listing are selling healthier food.
The researchers, from Cambridge University’s centre for diet and activity research, looked at Britain’s 100 most popular restaurant chains to analyse the impact of calorie listing. Chains that had in-store menu labelling served dishes containing an average of 45% less fat and 60% less salt than others.
In a bid to tackle obesity, it became compulsory for large restaurant chains in the US to add calorie menu labelling in 2018. In the UK, the government recommended voluntary menu labelling in 2011. A proposal for compulsory labelling was included in last year’s Childhood Obesity Plan, but it remains in consultation.
The Cambridge researchers said listing calories could encourage restaurants to change the content of their food, but the policy has been controversial, with campaigners previously telling HuffPost
UK it could impede recovery for people with eating disorders. Related... EXCLUSIVE: Eating Disorder Charities Raise Concerns Over Government’s Menu Calorie Count Plans But what do customers think about it? We asked HuffPost UK readers to share their opinions and it seems to be a divisive topic.
Some people said they do not appreciate calorie listings and just want to enjoy eating out “in peace”. It honestly makes me anxious. Going to eat out in a restaurant is a treat, or a nice date night out to me. I don't want to know how many calories are in my burger that I should be enjoying - not counting how many calories is in each bite!— Emmie Harrison-West (@emmieehw) October 17, 2019I think it's useful on menus like @McDonalds but generally NO! It's stressful and I just want to enjoy my food in peace.— Katherine :) (@kmhl_trouble) October 17, 2019If you eat out a lot then it might be useful to make informed choices. However, for myself, if I go out to eat, it is a treat & the hell do I want to know how many calories I am consuming!!! I have eaten something I didn't really enjoy just because it seemed healthier - not cool— Janine Pipe (@disneynine) October 17, 2019But others said the introduction of labelling at some restaurants has positively changed their eating habits by helping them to make informed choices. For me personally its helped with accountability. When I can plainly see that burger and fries is almost 1500 calories, I will question whether its worth it. It's definitely helped me make informed choices— Emma 🏴🌼 (@Ems_OHara) October 17, 2019I personally find it very useful - I totally stopped eating my favourite Pret sandwich after checking the calorie count, and routinely am able to order lower cal meals that are just as good. But I'm aware the science says that they have little effect overall— Karin Robinson (@karinjr) October 17, 2019I think it's a great idea.Sometimes,I will make a decision to eat something calorific, but most of the time, I want to know what the healthier options are. Especially if I'm away from home and don't have the option to go home and cook something healthy— Kellie Foster (@kellieann87) October 17, 2019People also pointed out that calories are not everything and other nutritional values should be considered if the labelling is to be truly useful. My view is to to educate people on the more important benefits of the food rather just its energy value. Where and how was it sourced? Is it nutrient dense? By all means keep the calories but don’t show ONLY the calories. It grows eating disorders— health_buddy (@healthbuddy_uk) October 17, 2019In light of the epidemic of child obesity and strain on NHS, it’s a good idea. However, I prefer a green light system. Calories don’t highlight nutritional value whereas high fat, salt, sugar signs are better. It caters for diabetics, keto, cholesterol etc— Askmollybeauty (@askmollybeauty) October 17, 2019And some raised concerns about the impact calorie labelling has on people with eating disorders, with one woman saying she now has to avoid any restaurants that have implemented labelling because it risks damaging her recovery. I don't eat in restaurants that put the calories on the menu because it's extremely damaging to my eating disorder recovery. We shouldn't normalise disordered eating.— Bella Longman (@Bella_Longman) October 17, 2019It's a VERY bad idea. Food is not only essential to life, it is joyous and should not have virtue attached to it ever. Eating Disorders are the biggest killer of all mental illness yet being able to eat freely is vilified in our disordered society making recovery so very hard.— Pip Ski (@pipski5) October 17, 2019A better option, one woman argued, could be for restaurants to have nutritional information available if customers ask for it.
Of the 100 restaurants involved in the Cambridge study, 42 provided some form of energy and nutritional information online, but 14 provided actual menu labelling in stores.I think it should be available if people want to know but it shouldn't be written on every menu. When I go out, I want to enjoy my food, not worry about the number of calories I'm eating. That said, there could be a space for this in healthy food cafes etc.— Katherine jane (@KJVBrook) October 17, 2019What do you think about nutritional labelling in restaurants? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Eating Disorder Charities Raise Concerns Over Government’s Menu Calorie Count Plans Brits Are More Scared Of The Gym Than Spiders And Injections – We Can Totally Relate This Is Why People Gain Weight As They Get Older