Find out how to work off the calories with exercise labels on food and drink – Noone

“The vast majority of people don’t know that a glass of wine would take an hour to walk off, while an Indian take-away would take 7 hours” says Catherine Noone, Fine Gael Senator for Dublin. Senator Noone is calling for mandatory calorie labelling which will display the exercise needed to burn off individual food and drink products.

“I have previously campaigned for calories to be printed on all menus in Ireland. After food laws were introduced in the US in 2012 requiring mandatory calorie display on menus customers consumed 6% less calories on average.

“According to The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, if calorie intake was reduced by 6% here it would have a major effect on our obesity levels and therefore our type 2 diabetes problem. Diabetes is nearly four times as common as all types of cancer combined and its risk soars as the pounds pile on.

“The Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s most recent report also revealed that 96% of consumers wanted calorie menu labelling in all or some food outlets. However, I think we could take it one step further. Labels displaying information about physical activity will allow people to better appreciate the trade-offs of high-calorie foods, and this would encourage them to make healthier choices. Labelling foods like this may even have the extra benefit of promoting physical activity.

“When you consider that almost a quarter of the calorie intake of Irish adults under the age of 65 is consumed outside the home, the food service sector can potentially play a very positive role in promoting more health-conscious and informed food choices among consumers.

“A new study currently being conducted at the University of North Carolina is examining whether adding the amount of walking it takes to burn off the calories in food items will lead consumers to make healthier choices. Researchers undertaking a separate study at Johns Hopkins University found that when they made calorie labels more blunt, consumers made healthier choices resulting in a reduction in the purchasing of soft drinks in the shop surveyed.

“At this time of year there are a lot of parties and Christmas get-togethers where food and drink is consumed almost without thinking. Labelling which details the exercise needed to work off the food and drink you are putting into your body would make us all think twice and perhaps prevent the New Year crash diets which are also bad for your health.”