Calories in restaurants

 I thought it would be great to share a person's perspective on the new Government's rules as from the 6th April, regarding displaying calories in restaurants and cafes. 

Please share your thoughts, ideas and comments below, enjoy the article ! 

On 6th April 2022, the UK government enforced new legislation requiring that all large restaurants, cafes, and takeaways must label each dish with their calorie count and is encouraging smaller and independent cafes and restaurants to do the same. According to reports, this is designed to encourage the nation to become healthier. While there are certainly benefits to eateries informing customers of the calories in dishes, there are also issues that should be taken into account, and further issues with government legislation being put in place to make this practice mandatory. 

 

There are numerous reasons why the government has decided to implement this policy. They intend for it to be used as a means for individuals to be able to make healthier choices about what they eat and take responsibility for their food consumption and their weight. The government website states that 63% of adults in England are overweight or obese, that 40% of primary school leavers are overweight, and that obesity is the number one cause of cancer in the UK. Charities such as Diabetes UK have praised the move, as the number of people who have life-long conditions or comorbidities that are caused by or worsened by obesity increases every year, such as 13.6 million people who have type 2 diabetes. This regulation is also designed to help ease the reliance that much of the population has on convenience food, which typically contains twice as many calories as those that we make at home, not to mention the preservatives that many foods such as pre-made sandwiches contain in order to extend their shelf lives. A survey conducted by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities revealed that 79% of respondents favoured adding calories to menus. Menus will also need to display the daily recommended average food and calorie intakes, and all this information will need to be displayed on any menu, online menu, app, and delivery service as well as at the point of customer payment.

 

However, in their rush to bring in this legislation, the government has not fully thought through this policy. While there is a benefit in providing calorie information to allow people to balance their meals and have a healthier diet, including calories on menus can be incredibly problematic for anyone who may experience or have a history of experiencing disordered eating. Many people who struggle with disordered eating become obsessed with calorie counting and can find themselves using the number of calories on foods or meals as a means of punishing themselves by justifying their behaviours by choosing calorie-lite examples only, rather than nutritious food options. Eating disorder charity Beat states that approximately 1.25 million people in the UK suffer or have suffered from some kind of eating disorder, approximately 1.8% of people in the UK, and not an insignificant amount. A situation such as having to eat out at a restaurant with friends or family can often be extremely stressful already for those with eating disorders, patterns of disordered eating, or who are in recovery from such conditions, as the conflict between feeling like they must appear as if they fit in with those around them and the internal negative thought patterns that trigger self-destructive and disordered eating behaviours. In having to add calorie counts to menus, restaurants are making an already challenging experience even harder for those struggling with such issues, with additional pressure. Additionally, diet culture has been so ingrained within society for so many years - whether it be telling women to get skinnier or men to bulk up - that almost anyone who has ever been on a diet will have some kind of reaction to a calorie count printed next to their prospective meal order, and while some are sure to be glad of the extra information, many of us without defined eating disorders cannot help but be subconsciously influenced by calorific values, especially those of us who have grown up surrounded heavily by diet culture.

 

Additionally, the aspect of legislation being put in place to force large restaurants, cafes, takeaways, etc. to put calories on their menus as non-negotiables removes the ability to choose for both businesses and patrons, denying both any autonomy over the situation. Having menus that include calories as an available option is good but requiring every single menu to contain a calorie count means that those who are already predisposed or overly predisposed to caring about calories will only worry more about amounts, and those who are not calorie conscious will just continue to ignore the numbers. What’s more, those who choose to go out and have a meal as a celebration and choose the food they would not cook at home, maybe dissuaded from doing so, as meals become more about numbers and legalised enforcement of diet culture rather than the focus being on nutritional balance or overall taste and enjoyment of food. Many restaurants and eateries previously offered menus or sections of their menus with ‘lighter’ options or ‘less than 500 calories’ available, allowing those who wished to choose more calorie-conscious options to do so, while not pressuring those who may not be comfortable with such menus or choices. 

 

Ultimately, while the government’s implementation of this legislation is meant with good intent, and there are many beneficial health reasons to being aware of calorie consumption, it is clear that it has not been thought through fully on how such requirements will affect members of the population, often those who are more vulnerable to begin with. Had the government chosen to introduce a ruling that menus with calories must be available for customer use if desired or requested, or that those without calories be available on request, the scheme might have been better widely accepted, and the positivity encouraged. However, in forcing such change, they are doing more harm than good and will make people even more resistant to the idea, which is worrying in an industry already hit so badly by the ongoing effects of the pandemic.