Can calorie count combat obesity?
Many food outlets have agreed to display calorie counters on their menus. This is in response to the public asking for more information about what they are eating. I like the idea, though I wonder how much good it will actually do.
A recent survey of the British public found that about two-thirds of the people are not changing their diets despite all the information about cancer associated with unhealthy eating. Now, I doubt that all of these people already eat healthily, therefore, they need not worry about changing their diets. A good proportion of those interviewed would rather stick their heads in the sands and ignore the warnings about cancer, and another good proportion claim they are not very informed about health risks. I find it hard to believe that they would not have some idea that unhealthy eating can lead to cancer. Everyday, there seems to be yet another new article related to food and cancer. In fact, it appears that the public is inundated with these scare articles. I think more people would like to pretend they don’t know, perhaps out of fear.
Knowing this, I wonder if it will really deter people from choosing a menu item that is loaded with calories. Having that information is very useful; but will the public make use of it in order to make better decisions regarding their diet? At least obese people can no longer use the excuse that they must have a medical problem because they only eat healthy foods. An honest diet diary can reveal how many calories they are actually ingesting in a day. It will make them sit up and take stock when they add up all those cheeseburgers and pizzas.
