The restaurant treats that take 8 hours to walk off

RESTAURANT chains selling pancakes, waffles and other sugary treats should put health warnings on their menus, campaigners say.

They want red ‘traffic light’ logos on items that contain so many calories they are fuelling a national obesity epidemic.

Research by Action On Sugar found many products sold by cafe chains, often as a breakfast treat, are laden with hidden sugar, fat and salt. It is calling for mandatory red logos on menus so diners understand which dishes are a threat to their waistlines – and their health.

The labels, similar to those that appear on many supermarket products, would mark dishes high in sugar, fat and salt.

Products identified by the group include a salted caramel banoffee pancake, sold by The Breakfast Club chain, which contains 1,800 calories and would take most people over eight hours to walk off. Also highlighted are a waffle topped with Oreos and gelato, sold by Creams, which has the equivalent of 19 teaspoons of sugar, and a chocolate pretzel from Mr Pretzels at 930 calories. A savoury four cheese crepe from My Old Dutch has 1,621 calories – more than three Big Macs.

Action On Sugar surveyed 191 products from restaurants, cafes and takeaways: 94 crepes, 12 pancakes, 16 pretzels and 69 waffles and their toppings. Only 70 had full nutrition information both in store or online. Chains such as Creams, Kaspa’s Desserts, Snowflakes Gelato, The Breakfast Club, Wafflemeister, Auntie Anne’s and Mr Pretzels have no nutritional information available. Harvester, My Old Dutch, Crepeaffaire, Brewers Fayre, McDonald’s and Marks & Spencer Cafe provide information on their websites but not all put it on menus.

Nutritionist Dr Kawther Hashem, campaign lead at Action On Sugar, said: ‘It is absurd that supermarkets are forced to be as transparent as possible about what they put in their products, from allergens to calories, but when eating out we often have no idea what is in our food and drink.’