Adding calories to menus will negatively affect people with eating disorders, according to a charity.
In the Queen’s Speech earlier in May, the government announced plans to have restaurants, cafes and pubs with more than 250 employees list calories on their menus.
The move aims to encourage Britons to eat healthier foods and reduce obesity rates.
Beat, an eating disorder charity, surveyed 1,118 people with an existing or previous eating disorder, or those who care for them, and 93% said the move would have a negative impact or very negative about them.
About 89% said they did not support the plan.
One respondent said, “The thought of seeing calories on the menus makes me very sick and sends me straight into the depths of my eating disorder.
“It will affect so many people and, instead of helping, will only make the mental health crisis worse.”
One parent said, “Going out to eat while my daughter was recovering was a big step forward. Without a doubt, having calories printed on the menu would have made it next to impossible. The two together wouldn’t have worked.”
Tom Quinn, Beat’s director of external affairs, said the government should listen to scientists, health workers and those living with eating disorders and “immediately give up” politics.
He added: “The announcement to impose calorie labeling on menus has been devastating for so many people we support, with hundreds reaching out to us to express their concern.
“There is a glaring lack of evidence that adding calories to menus helps reduce obesity in the general population, but at the same time it is clear that calorie labeling has the potential to cause enormous damage to those affected by eating disorders.
“The needs of people with eating disorders have not been properly addressed by the government.”
Mr Quinn said the charity’s helpline has seen a 195% increase in contacts over the past year, with more people becoming ill …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-25 00:39:00
