Calories To Appear On Menus Of UK Food Outlets

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Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Public Health
Article Date: 06 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Later this month, hundreds of UK food outlets will start showing calorie information on their menus, as part of a government campaign to stem the rise of obesity in the population.

In a BBC News report earlier today, Tim Smith, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said:

"Our aim is to ensure that consumers have better information so they can make informed choices to improve their diet when eating out."

High street food giants Pizza Hut and Burger King are among the 17 companies that have voluntarily signed up to take part in the campaign. Many of the participants are also staff canteens. Among the others are Pret a Manger, Sainsbury's cafes, ISS Mediclean (canteens in hospitals), Merlin Entertainment, and KFC.

According to a report in the Telegraph earlier this year, when the idea was first mooted, if the campaign is successful the FSA will push for "traffic light" labels on menus, which would give further information like if there is too much salt, sugar or fat in the dish.

The UK campaign follows the model established in New York City, where last year the vast majority of restaurants had to start showing calorie information on their menus.

According to the FSA, that campaign has already shown that New Yorkers have cut their intake per restaurant visit by 50 to 100 calories.

Health campaigners have welcomed the move and pointed out that one in six meals in the UK are now eaten outside the home.

But many restaurant owners are not so happy, saying this is yet another step toward a "nanny state".

Bob Cotton, the chief executive of the British Hospitality Industry, told the Telegraph newspaper earlier this year that they had serious concerns about the move.

"There is no evidence, either in this country or New York, that demonstrates that the display of calories on menus will result in consumers changing their diet," he added.

The FSA said they are responding to public demand. They did a survey of 2,000 people and 85 per cent of them said they wanted to see nutritional information about the food they were eating in food outlets.

On Radio 4's Today programme earlier today, Tim Smith suggested the public is used to seeing nutritional information on packaging of food they buy to eat at home, and now want information on menus so they can make similarly informed choices when they go out to eat.

The information will appear either on the menu, or on a board or poster, depending on how people make their choices.

The government is hoping to recruit more companies into the campaign, Smith said he was pleased with the "diverese range of companies " that were showing an interest. The companies taking part will most likely implement the idea in all their outlets, although they don't have to.

Dawn Primarolo, minister for public health told the BBC she wanted to see more catering firms taking part in the move "to help their customers make healthier choices."

Sources: BBC, Telegraph, FSA.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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