Calories on the menu - just why?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

Visited pizza express last night to catch up with a girlfriend - first visit since pre pandemic. Ordered my favourite fiorentina pizza with spinach and egg but my enjoyment was somewhat diminished by reading the 950 calorie count on the menu. I understand that this is the law now. Who decided that this is a good idea? Absolutely crazy.

I don't like this.
My daughter is in treatment for anorexia, this is not a good thing for her

But you have to go with the first line of treatment. How on earth is having every calorie of every item displayed in full view as you are trapped in a seat ever going to be good for anybody trying to consume 300 calories a day? The fall out will last for a very long time. Having calorie content on demand caters for all. They have vegan menus to hand out on request, they could have a calorie content version available too. Once a sufferer has seen it all the damage is done. There is no need for it.

Groups of teenage girls live in Nandos and Wagamama’s. They are all on social media. Many have my fitness pal, surrounding them with calorie content is a recipe for disaster. Restriction is addictive.

As an illustration - my DD went out to Zizzi's - the bit of her brain that she's trying to keep anorexia locked up in a box, positively fizzed with excitement that the calories were on the menu and DD began to get anxious and was able to consciously realise that it was the anorexia making the decisions (luckily it didn't get to the point of the anorexia being her usual grade a bitch bully) - DD's boyfriend intervened, took the menu off her and chatted through menu options.

Another evening, DD went out to local independent Italian - so similar menu to Zizzi's and she was able to order freely. Now as someone with an eating disorder she does know the calorie content of most food items (indeed, at the nadir of her illness I too was confident of beating all comers on MasterMind with food calorie content as my specialist subject) so I understand the logical perspective of "they know already" but in our experience anorexia (can't talk for other ED's) isn't logical - it is bizzaro land. DD on one memorable evening threw her plate of food on the floor and we asked her to help clear it up - she was hysterical/delusional - absolutely sure that the calories from the carrots were seeping into her via her skin...

Now, I'm obviously not suggesting the world needs to revolve around those with an ED but having a mandated dual menu option would be great accommodation.

NRTFT. This has been required in American fast-food restaurants for years.

That's interesting. My understanding is that the USA is in a similar 'obesity crisis' position to the UK - are there any signs that it's started to reverse the trend since it was adopted in America?

I have severe and enduring Anorexia nervosa. AN has stolen so much from me and I’ve missed out on so many social situations where the terror of eating has prevented me from attending. Over the years I have developed a few ‘safe(er)’ foods (usually an undressed, carb free, chicken salad) and have gradually managed to develop strategies to eat out in certain restaurants. I tried to do this at the weekend and failed. Even though I had eaten the exact meal, in the same restaurant previously, when presented with the calories on a menu I just froze and couldn’t eat.

Yes, I know the calorie contents of most things I eat but I have developed a coping mechanism of not knowing the exact number and that was shoved in my face in the restaurant. I know it isn’t logically but ed’s Aren’t logical, that’s exactly why they are a problem. And those who come along with well meaning advice to seek treatment, look at the reasons behind my AN, give myself a day off from calorie counting (I wish!), believe me I’ve tried. I’ve done all sorts of treatments including lengthily admissions to specialist eating disorder units, but remain in the 56% of AN sufferers who will not fully recover.

My tips to all of you mothers desperately trying to support your dc in recovery, hang in there, don’t loose sight of the person behind the Ed, Fight for full weight restoration, overcome fear foods and most of all look after yourselves along the way. It’s one hell of a job you’ve been landed with!

I see all of the arguments pro calorie info on menus and really do think you have valid points. So, to the restaurants and government, please give us a choice. Simply having 2 menu’s, one with and one without calorie information, would help those who would like to make an informed choice, whilst protecting those who’s mental illness prevents the most from doing so.

Alm0nd1 if your child has specific health needs then surely that needs to be accommodated by you. By extension we can't erase all nutrition information from packaging etc because they're not meant to see it.

I struggled with anorexia for a long time so I am intimately familiar with the struggle but that doesn't mean it's the world's responsibility to accommodate it especially when the much more prevalent problem is the opposite.

Love it. I wish all food and drinks stated the number of calories in them. I do MFP and lack of calorie info is often a reason why I pick the obvious low-cal options, when I could have something different if I knew it has X number of calories.

to you @AtleastitsnotMonday - I understand. Sending you love

I think there are good points made by many about the difficult this could present to some ED sufferers and I would support a change to the law to make calorie-free menus a requirement, not just an option.

But ultimately the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, so I think the default should be menus with the calorie information listed.

The US chains all tend to have a lower cal lighter option section which I hope will catch on here.
My DD ate a much wider range of foods on holiday in US recently than I expected simply because she could easily see nutritional info.
I do hope chains offer the version with no cals for people who prefer that.

I am overweight and I find calories on a menu helpful. I think it's a good idea to have calorie-free menus as well thought.

My big hope is that it will persuade businesses to decrease portion sizes. There are some places I love eating except that it's 40-50% more food than I need.

I know everyone with EDs is different, but I have an ED and this is a godsend for me. Will have a positive impact on my quality of life allowing me to eat out and not miss social situations as much.

The calorie tally in a NT cafe today put me off buying a slice. 860 cals. I felt quite annoyed really: why sell cakes 3 layers deep, slathered in buttercream in massive slices? A piece two thirds smaller would have been perfectly good.

I am ancient and grew up in an age when everyone knocked up ‘sponge sandwiches’ all the time . Two layers, jam or lemon curd, maybe buttercream but only as a layer in the middle, and a slice was of modest size, compared to what is normal now.

Obviously it’s helpful for people who wish to control their calorie intake. Why would that bother you?

The calorie tally in a NT cafe today put me off buying a slice. 860 cals. I felt quite annoyed really: why sell cakes 3 layers deep, slathered in buttercream in massive slices? A piece two thirds smaller would have been perfectly good.

I usually share with my DH in that situation. Not that I'm incapable of eating a whole one, but purely for health reasons! Generally I find they are happy to supply an extra plate etc. No use if you're on a solo visit though.

Totally agree, @CarmenThePanda, cakes are just ridiculous. When I am Queen 😆 it will be illegal for any non-occasion cake to have more than two layers, and only three for an occasion cake will be allowed.

Obesity crisis?

@DogsAndGin

Anorexia affects up to 12% of women, and 1% of men. So of course the huge issue of how printing calories on a menu affects anorexic people was completely overlooked. Gotta help those over eaters! (Which are mainly… you guessed it… men!)

And 66% of the adult population is overweight or obese with more women than men suffering from severe obesity.

Arguably if you have a serious ED, you’re not likely to be in a restaurant ordering pizza anyway.

12% of women with AN? I read 2-4% lifetime prevalence.

I find it helpful. I'm a recovered anorexic as well so I honestly understand how it can be triggering. I still maintain a lot of the behaviours like calorie counting but tbh it makes me feel more in control knowing how many calories I'm having and there's some comfort in it for me. I get very anxious not knowing what's in things to be honest because I feel like I can't keep track and don't know what's happening. If I know a pizza has 1000 calories in it that's less scary to me that a salad with dressing that has unknown calories in it.

@Gwenhwyfar

"Eating disorders are just as serious as obesity "

I totally disagree from a public health point of view. Anorexia (presuming that's what you mean and not the kind of eating disorder an obese person may have) is a tiny problem compared to overweight and obesity.
I'm fed up of former anorexics telling us we can't talk about all sorts of things in public, intermittent fasting for example or even just dieting.
I sympathise with them, but their problems are not mainstream.

Agree with this completely. 2/3 Uk adults or overweight or obese, but yet everyone on Mumsnet has, once had or knows someone else with an ED.

Regardless, the most unreasonable thing about this post is an adult eating out by choice in Pizza Express without kids.

Why would anyone go there unless they had little choice I.e. entertaining the kiddies with dough balls and a babycinno

@namechangeranonymouse

Obesity crisis?

Absolutely.

Britain has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe, with two in three adults overweight or obese and the NHS spending £6bn a year treating obesity-related ill-health, a figure that is forecast to rise to £10bn a year by 2050.

You are not overweight. So just eat the food. It is helpful for people who are trying to be healthier.

For me it's a waste of time because I go out as a 'treat' and don't mind indulging. I can see it being helpful for those who eat out very regularly though and are watching their weight.