United Kingdom to Post Calories on Menus Too
As of 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) projects 1.6 billion adults, ages 15 and up, were overweight and 400 million adults were obese, worldwide.
And the latest rage to help curb obesity is printing calories on the menus of fast food restaurants. And now, Great Britain is getting in on the act.
Last summer, the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency surveyed 2,000 adults and found 85% of respondents agreed eateries, like pubs and cafes, have a responsibility to clearly show what's in their food and make it obvious at the point of sale, i.e. on a menu or something.
And now, the agency is calling on brave restaurants to lead the charge and volunteer to display calories on their menus, including takeaways (fast food joints) and canteens. The U.K. will give the initiative a 6-month test run; The Guardian reports.
Hey, it can't hurt! Because if current trends continue, the WHO estimates that by 2015, roughly 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million adults will obese. Just imagine all the heart disease, diabetes and hypertension to go along with that!
Actually, while some people see calories-on-menus laws as an invasion of capitalism, many people like the idea. In New York City, where calories are now on menus, a survey of 100 women revealed 79% liked knowing the calories and 55% say they now order less.
And there's also a chance the United States congress will pass national legislation regarding calories on menus. No doubt, Ronald McDonald is shaking in his floppy red shoes and dropping chicken nuggets in his pants.
Via Serious Eats.
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Well it all sounds really good (and I see some of the airlines have been doing it too), but frankly the idea of counting calories has been around for years and I haven't seen it making much difference yet.
ReplyYep the UK is rapidly catching up to the US in terms of obesity...!
ReplyFrom: http://www.weightlossguru.com/index.cfm/britain
Nov '08: "McDonalds recently revealed it had recorded growth rates close to their peak of the 1980s -- with 88 million visits to its outlets in the UK last month alone!"
Sounds like a SOUND idea to me. In fact, they should have done this from the very beginning.
ReplyThis won't really help because most people don't understand how many calories are equivalent to that or if 700 calories is equal to very little weight gain and can't make use of that knowledge. On the other hand it will be useful to the more, dare I say it health conscious people!
Replyactaully the total calories you should have a day
Replyis 2000 so that mean you should have breakfast lunch
and dinner that should equal 2000 or a little
bit more. get back to me and tell me
what you think.
Where are the complaints about the incipient fascism in the UK?
ReplyMaybe you don't understand the difference between ASKING restaurants to change their menus and FORCING restaurants to change their menus.
They're only asking in the UK. Asking hurts no one. In some places in the US, they're forcing this change. They're going to close down all the restaurants who don't obey. They may fine or jail the owners. Forcing, fining, and jailing hurt people.
Many people in the US are very happy to hurt people who don't live their lives The Right Way and don't make The Right Choices.
That's the difference.
Reply(hug)... thought you could use one
Replyso.. what do you think about fast foods
Reply''o''.
I am a very big proponent of menu labeling. For those people who feel that it is too expensive, in my view, an entrepreneur or two will come up with solutions to make menus more effective with calorie placement.
So, the fact that calories are on the menu will not hurt anyone.
Granted, I do have some doubts on pure calorie counting over the long haul for a typical day-to-day diet. What has to happen is we have to learn how to eat in such a way that the calorie counting is done for us automatically. In other words, we need to listen to our bodies when they tell is to stop eating rather than using our mind to count the calories.
However, I think in the beginning of a calorie restrictive diet, knowing the calories will become ever more important especially as our diet has changed to take-out rather than cook at home.
ReplyWhat a waist of time and money. Does the government have to monitor everything? Whatever happened to personal responsibility? If I go out to eat I ALREADY KNOW that what I am about to eat may not be calorie friendly. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I GO TO A FAST FOOD JOINT. IF I EAT 3-4 MCDOUBLES AND GET BLOATED, THEN MY BODY WILL TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO. SHOULD I VOMIT OR WAIT TILL I HAVE A NASTY BOWEL MOVEMENT AND GO BACK FOR MORE? IF I GET FAT WILL I KNOW TO CHANGE MY DIET AND/OR EXERCISE FEEL AND GET BETTER? IF A PERSON CAN'T FIGURE THIS OUT, THEN ANY GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION WILL ALSO NOT HELP.
The government really needs to get out of this one.
ReplyLOL, I can't count how many times I have been on my computer looking up restaurant menues while my stomach growls to make sure I plan everything well before I go out or call to order. Info on a menu would be nice.
Replyso make your own pretend resturant in your
Replyhouse and cook your own health food and you
would that to sit
in front of an computer with your belly growling
at you.