RESTAURANTS SHOWING CALORIE COUNT IN MEALS FOUND TO SERVE HEALTHIER FOOD

▶ Study shows that at least three quarters of items on menus displaying nutritional content have less fat and sugar

New research suggests restaurants that provide calorie information on their menus serve healthier food with less fat and sugar.

In the first study of its kind, the University of Cambridge examined 100 UK restaurant menus to assess the extent of menu labelling.

Outlets listing nutritional details on servings were found to offer food with about 45 per cent less fat and 60 per cent less salt than other restaurants.

Recent legislation to force larger restaurant chains in Dubai to use menu labelling, which was expected to be introduced later this year, was delayed to give businesses more time to comply.

Jordana Smith, a dietitian at Valiant Clinic in City Walk, Dubai, said the study demonstrated the positive effect restaurants could have on healthier eating.

“We need to start educating people that eating is more than just calories,” she said.

“The focus should be on what ingredients are being used to make that menu item.

“By adding nutritional information it will make people more aware of what they are eating and may affect choices.”

Researchers at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Diet and Activity Research studied nutritional information at the most popular UK restaurant chains during March and April last year.

Of the 100 restaurants surveyed, 42 provided some form of calorie details online. Just 13 provided menu labelling on the premises.

Researchers also found that at least three quarters of items displayed on menus with calorie content were below the daily maximum recommended intake for fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.

But some individual items were still found to contain more than twice the daily recommended amount. In one case, an individual dish contained 5,961 calories – about three times the daily recommended maximum for an average adult woman.

“This research is the first study to look at differences in nutritional content of food from restaurants with and without menu labelling in the UK,” said Dolly Theis, from Cedar and the university’s epidemiology unit.

“As well as providing useful information for customers, mandatory menu labelling could encourage restaurants to improve the nutritional quality of their menus.”

Food from restaurants and fast-food takeaways is usually high in energy, fat, sugar and salt compared with homecooked meals.

As a result, health campaigners have long urged restaurants to make nutritional information available to customers.

Mandatory menu labelling for large restaurant chains was introduced in the US in May last year. Similar steps were discussed in the UK in 2011, but have yet to be implemented.

The expected Dubai Municipality

legislation to force restaurants to provide nutritional detail on menus is part of a wider plan for a healthier UAE under the National Nutrition Agenda 2017-2021.

A snapshot survey in Dubai this year revealed that only one in 12 restaurants displayed calorie information in-house.

On average, adult women require between 1,600 and 2,400 calories a day, while men need slightly more – between 2,000 and 3,000 calories.

“Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy life,” said Dr Dinesh Dhanwal at NMC Speciality Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

“It is already mandatory to have exact nutritional content and calorie counts clearly mentioned on packaging of products in UAE grocery shops.

“These initiatives enable people to be exactly aware of the content of the meals they consume and also the calorie content of food.

“Patients with medical conditions like diabetes or hypertension for example, will definitely need to know the exact calories, sodium and saturated fat content regardless if they’re eating at home or in a restaurant.”

It is almost a year since the Department of Health Abu Dhabi ordered healthcare facilities to provide healthy meal selections in cafeterias, vending machines and restaurants.

Archana Baju, a dietitian at Burjeel Hospital, said expanding the programme to all food outlets in Abu Dhabi would encourage healthier meal choices.

“Awareness of healthy eating choices in the community, school and healthcare sectors is essential to prevent lifestyle diseases and promote healthy habits.”

In one case, an individual dish had 5,961 calories – about three times the daily recommended limit for a woman