Restaurant Calories are Eye-Watering.

But Should They Be Displayed?

I know I’m heading into murky water here. The displaying of calories on menus is controversial — and with good reason. We live in a world that tells us to be healthy while encouraging us to get fat. Many people, even those not formally diagnosed with eating disorders live with guilt, shame and depression every day due to food-related issues.

As part of the UK government’s strategy to fight obesity, all restaurant businesses in England with more than 250 employees must now display calories on their menus.

I am fortunate to have had the time to educate myself about nutrition but for most people, their main source of information is the endless stream of conflicting advice that pours out of the media. Most of this advice still hangs on the outdated premise that obesity is simply the result of eating too much and not exercising enough and government policies only serve to reinforce this.

While it is important to have an understanding of the calorie content of food it is only useful in the context of a broader understanding of nutrition and how that plays into the obesity debate. Looking at calories in isolation, as the sole determinant of weight gain and a healthy diet is futile and counter-productive.

Thinking about obesity in such simplistic terms can easily lead to an obsession with calories which can quickly morph into a very debilitating eating disorder. Indeed, the number of people suffering from eating disorders is sky-rocketing and policies such as displaying calories on menus are only likely to fuel this.

Having said that, the calorie levels of many restaurant dishes are eye-watering. Eating out is not the same as it used to be — it is not always a treat — indeed many people are consuming products from the fast-casual dining sector multiple times per week.

With this in mind, I think it is important that these restaurants provide access to a complete nutritional breakdown of their products, if, for no other purpose than to demonstrate that they have done the due diligence and are comfortable with the result.

However, I am not aware of any studies that show the displaying of calories on menus having any effect on obesity. For most people, the sight of calories on menus will be meaningless and will not alter their behaviour. Some will be shocked and decide to either moderate their order or find another source of food and for a growing minority with eating disorders, the calorie counts will cause anxiety and panic.

I don’t eat out much anymore and my first experience of the calorie counts was a family trip to Nandos for my son’s birthday. I was undeniably shocked by the calories of many products. A chicken pitta, fries and coleslaw would rack up a breathtaking 1450 kcal before dips, sauces and drinks. With the refillable sodas on offer, 2000 kcal was well within reach.

But I was glad to have this information and grateful to be able to click on a tab to see a full nutritional breakdown. I felt in control and was happy to tailor my order to suit. I realised that I was then ordering a lot less than most other diners but I was not willing to ingest 85% of my daily energy from this particular source and I was still able to enjoy the experience.

The point is that I am educated about nutrition so am able to give some context to the information provided and react accordingly. Most people are not so fortunate and that is why policies such as this smack of ill-conceived desperation.

If the government wants to tackle obesity it needs to get up to speed with the science and have a far more coherent plan with education at its heart. Nutrition, including cooking skills, should be taught at every level of schooling with pupils and schools being assessed as vigorously as they are for Maths and English. Without the proper education to back it up, policies such as putting calories on menus may only serve to do more harm than good.