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 have lost 2 stone and maintained by calorie restriction/ counting. I used to have an eating disorder, now I don't and i weigh 67 kg which is not underweight...i eat treats etc.
However, I was shocked at the calorie counts on menus this weekend. Hopefully it will encourage restaurants to do more lower calorie options too.

I think carbohydrates should be included on menus. People with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 diabetes need to work out carbs for their insulin amounts at meal times. This would be very beneficial

@PurpleDaisies I specifically said it would not INCREASE eating disorders. If you have one already, you can find the calories anyway was my point. You don't develop an eating disorder just by knowing how many calories are in a pizza, that oversimplifies a very complicated condition

Have to disagree. Overeaters are not mainly men. Also, if someone is anorexic, are they really going to consider eating a Pizza? Doubt that very much. EDs are not just about those who restrict or evacuate(puking or laxatives), it covers people who over eat; binge, comfort or emotional eat, etc too.

@JTaekwon

Have to disagree. Overeaters are not mainly men. Also, if someone is anorexic, are they really going to consider eating a Pizza? Doubt that very much. EDs are not just about those who restrict or evacuate(puking or laxatives), it covers people who over eat; binge, comfort or emotional eat, etc too.

My anorexic dd will eat pizza, I think this thread shows how little understanding there is around anorexia and other EDs.

I also dispute that people with EDs will seek out calorie information, some will and some won't plus some anorexia sufferers are children so you would be able to hide calorie information from them. Having it displayed everywhere is damaging to them.

I think this is a tough one.

Eating out has changed a lot in recent years, it’s become something a lot of people do regularly, so I don’t think we can continuing to think that eating in a restaurant is an occasional treat.

Portions have got bigger, and we often don’t know how much we’re eating.

Overall, given our issues with obesity, I think it’s a god thing. I know it will be tough for people w some EDs but I think restaurants can offer menus without the calories and imagine that they will.

Having it displayed everywhere is damaging to them.

I think this is true. I don't think anyone has actually disagreed. But I still think that it helps vastly more people than it harms. It's tough that they will have this extra difficulty, but we can't hold back a public health improvement to cater for a relatively small group.

@Hont1986

Having it displayed everywhere is damaging to them.

I think this is true. I don't think anyone has actually disagreed. But I still think that it helps vastly more people than it harms. It's tough that they will have this extra difficulty, but we can't hold back a public health improvement to cater for a relatively small group.

Couldn’t agree more. The idea that many should be dispossessed of the information in order to avoid triggering the few is simply not workable.

And I fully support making the provision of an alternative, calorie-free menu an obligation, not just a recommendation.

But I think the calorie-visible menu should be the default. The vast majority of disordered eating in this country is overeating, not undereating (I'm talking generally, I know overeating isn't a specific diagnosable condition).

Again, I agree.

Im trying to shirk off the weight that’s slowly crept on in recent months. I’m not doing a crash diet but simply keeping track of calories and trying to be at a calorie deficit 2 days a week. I’m pleased that calories are on menus now, I find it so helpful. It’s not shaming, but informing. This obsession with ‘being shamed’ has to stop!

I think it’s a good idea and people can make healthier choices … if they want to
The calories are the same whether you know or don’t know! So what does it matter if you can see the content

@Hont1986

Having it displayed everywhere is damaging to them.

I think this is true. I don't think anyone has actually disagreed. But I still think that it helps vastly more people than it harms. It's tough that they will have this extra difficulty, but we can't hold back a public health improvement to cater for a relatively small group.

Lots of people with MH disorders feel the world should revolve around them, so this view is not unexpected.

Having it displayed everywhere is damaging to them.

I think this is true. I don't think anyone has actually disagreed. But I still think that it helps vastly more people than it harms. It's tough that they will have this extra difficulty, but we can't hold back a public health improvement to cater for a relatively small group.

Agree - there’s always conflicting view on, well, everything, and so the logical thing is to weigh up various factors. The fact is this will benefit a HUGE number of people, far more than it will ‘trigger’. When it comes to public health, the messages need to be for the majority, otherwise it’s utterly pointless having a public health body at all.

This worries me so much for eating disorder sufferers, myself included. I don't think it will help obese people, if anything it's more likely to drive them into secretive eating and binge eating and the good/bad food dichotomy that makes it so hard to just follow a balanced diet in the first place.

Bloody hell the lack of empathy on this thread is astounding.

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate out of any mental illness and a similar mortality rate in children to leukaemia. It can effect anyone of any age, background or race and it causes huge amounts of suffering not only for the people effected but for everyone trying to care for them.

To dismiss or minimise concerns of parents of sick children is beyond cruel.

I sincerely hope none of you have to watch what anorexia does to a child, it's horrific.

Calories on menus will cause issues for these children and anyone with an ED, there should be an easily accessible calorie free menu available and this should be mandatory in all restaurants.

Ha @Girliefriendlikespuppies - a poster upthread told me she was glad my DD was feeling anxious in restaurants now - super empathetic!

@clopper

My DD has an eating disorder and she has told me what a nightmare this is for her.

This was my first thought when I was announced. I have huge issues with food and this had added to my anxiety. What is worse is that children are being taught to count calories from a young age and this will not help. The real issue is that good quality food is expensive. Its cheaper to treat your child to a happy meal than a healthy one.

I don't like it. I can see it as a desperate attempt by NHS to curb obesity.

@myrtleWilson

Ha *@Girliefriendlikespuppies* - a poster upthread told me she was glad my DD was feeling anxious in restaurants now - super empathetic!

It's unbelievable Myrtle 😡 I'm sorry someone said that to you.

A few months ago, before the law changed, we ate at a Hungry Horse pub, because we had lots of Tesco vouchers to use up. The menu was so gross, we looked up the calories on the company website out of curiosity. From memory there was one dessert alone that had about 2000 calories. This is why we need calories on menus - because there are many cheap and cheerful restaurants that serve mountains of horribly unhealthy food to people who either don't know better or can't afford to eat anywhere better. Expensive restaurants have calorific food too, but people are less likely to get fat on food they can't afford to eat often.

@shreakin

A few months ago, before the law changed, we ate at a Hungry Horse pub, because we had lots of Tesco vouchers to use up. The menu was so gross, we looked up the calories on the company website out of curiosity. From memory there was one dessert alone that had about 2000 calories. This is why we need calories on menus - because there are many cheap and cheerful restaurants that serve mountains of horribly unhealthy food to people who either don't know better or can't afford to eat anywhere better. Expensive restaurants have calorific food too, but people are less likely to get fat on food they can't afford to eat often.

We had the same experience. It was the big plate specials that had us dying inside.

Empathy goes both ways. There are people who want to take control of their diets and eating habits who also want to be able to eat in restaurants while doing so. As above, many people watching their calorie intake might think twice if they’re hit with the realisation that their favourite meal is 75% of their daily calorie intake. How about empathy for those people?

We went out this evening and were offered a choice of two menus, one with the calorie info or one without. We chose without as it was a special occasion which we'd saved up for and knew beforehand what we'd order. Have been many times and enjoy it every time, knowing the calories would have spoilt it.
We know it's not the healthiest but it's a treat about 3 times a year. Would be great if more restaurants offered the choice of menus.
Having said that, seeing the menu at the cinema last night made me change my drink to a lower calorie one and my icecream to popcorn.

Can't see why this should be a problem to anyone. Of all the things to get annoyed about!