Risks of menu calorie counts

PLANS to force restaurants and cafes to print calorie counts for each item on their menus will fuel eating disorders, charities and MPs have warned.

Some large chains such as McDonald’s and JD Wetherspoon already publish the information, while others, such as Pizza Express, provide it on request.

The Department of Health and Social Care wants to make it a legal requirement to help cut obesity.

But opponents argue the move would be unhelpful for those suffering eating disorders and fear it could hinder those in recovery, as it would cause them to ‘obsess’ over calories.

A letter objecting to printed calorie counts was sent by campaigners and MPs, including Andrea Jenkyns and Tim Farron, to the Sunday Telegraph.

They wrote: ‘We believe that proposals will be ineffective at reducing obesity rates, and damaging to the mental and physical health of those suffering with eating disorders.’