tricky one but I think this could be a culture thing. I don’t think it’d ever work in the UK cause our culture doesn’t allow for this. people don’t like being told what to do. It’s like when Jamie Oliver tried to change school meals and parents fed their kids McDonald’s through the fence. imagine these people having a phone call to say a nutritionist wants to help them cause their kid is overweight.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
very true!
It can be profitable for the restaurant because they can put low-calorie meals on the menu which more people will order, when actually it's not healthier just a smaller serving and bulked out with cheaper things like salad/veg, so they save on ingredient cost as well. And people are more likely to buy dessert as they have room for it and feel they can treat themselves after thinking they didn't eat many calories for the main meal.
The issue is there's so much junk food everywhere now. In 2008 my local shopping centre just had a Starbucks. Now there's a doughnut stand, milkshake stand, Lola's cupcakes, pretzel stand...
It definitely influences my decision and I hate it because either I often end up choosing something with less calories and then paying for a meal I don’t actually enjoy…
I think it's hideous and it helps nobody except maybe those who are calorie counting (which is a personal choice and should be handled by the individual themselves, not by restaurants). A dish being lower in calories doesn't mean it's healthier. It'll just be reminder that someone is making a high cal choice when there are lower cal options, it's soft shaming and in a global mindset that is obsessed with faux health trends, this is just another way to appear to solve a problem while making it worse.
People aren't obese or unhealthy because they have one high calorie meal at a restaurant. We live more sedentary lives, we work more hours so the less free time we have, the less we are inclined to cook from scratch every day. Food isn't just fuel, it's also a pleasure and it being more readily available it's also an unhealthy coping skill for a lot of traumatized people. Food is also much more palatable than it was in the past, junk food is heavily advertised to children obviously or subconsciously. Junk food is cheaper compared to what else is readily available, because not everyone has access to bulk shops or have the physical or mental energy to cook those meals. Less cooking in the family means less cooking children will learn from their caregivers. Healthcare is time consuming unless you have excellent insurance or a lot of money to go private. But sure, slap some numbers on a menu and Bob's your uncle, they can say that they've done their part.
Yes me too! I went out for breakfast a few weeks ago and was going to order the veggie breakfast. It said it was over 1000 cals (!?) once I’d pointed it out, I thought I can’t go for that option now because I’ll look like a big fat pig! I went for the yoghurt and granola option which wasn’t that nice. I don’t often go out for breakfast so I should have chosen what I wanted and ignored the calories.
Surely the calories on menus would only help if people are constantly eating out? Most calories will be consumed at home.
I've had an eating disorder and seeing calories on menus does bring back old feelings and patterns of behaviour. To put it bluntly, I don't think people in my position should be thrown under the bus because "what about the obesity crisis?" I try to ask for menus without calories where possible but they don't always have them
I guess it's not that different from sending "health visitors" to those with babies/toddlers, on the other hand I guess people would feel judged if told their child is overweight so would react poorly
To be fair not that that means you can’t have it as a one off when eating out but that’s a ridiculous amount of calories for one breakfast! Esp a veggie one with none of the bacon fat etc
I know! I swear to god they must make it up?!To be fair not that that means you can’t have it as a one off when eating out but that’s a ridiculous amount of calories for one breakfast! Esp a veggie one with none of the bacon fat etc
My understanding is that, diet wise, the issue is sugar (and other carbs) rather than fat.
The other issue, of course, is lack of exercise that kids get, for a variety of reasons.
I don't think you can compare them imo. A health visitor does all things baby/toddler, height, weight, development, and checking on mum. They are there from birth to monitor the child and everyone (who wants one anyway) has one. Whilst it is safeguarding, a health visitor isn't just going to see high risk children. A nutritionist is just a nutritionist that will only come cause your child is overweight. I think there is a big difference there personally.
Yes, that makes sense, you're right
I think a lot of the lunchbox policing in schools and Change 4 Life stuff (treating food as "sugar cubes" to be counted) puts children at risk of future eating disorders - not just anorexia and bulimia but binge eating etc. which can contribute to obesity. Having nutritionists in schools would likely make that worse. Even very young kids pick up on this, my family knows someone with a 6-year-old who went to a nutritionist over his weight after being referred by a GP. They were careful to try not to make it too obvious why he was there so that he wouldn't feel bad or risk being bullied, but he worked it out very quickly and still got upset
I don't mind seeing calories on menus, and it would be nice to have the option of seeing things like protein content. I wouldn't expect small businesses to go to the trouble, and I eat out so rarely that one high calorie meal isn't going to make much difference to me.
I don't think that having calories on menus will make any difference to obesity rates. Without putting the number into context, as in knowing your own calorie needs for that day, it's going to be pretty meaningless unless it's stupidly high. If it's that high, you probably already know it isn't good for you.
I don't think that having calories on menus will make any difference to obesity rates. Without putting the number into context, as in knowing your own calorie needs for that day, it's going to be pretty meaningless unless it's stupidly high. If it's that high, you probably already know it isn't good for you.
I don't see the point of the child themselves seeing a nutritionist. It's not like a 6 year old can decide on what they eat! I think a nutritionist in a school isn't necessarily a bad idea but I think it would have to be a classroom wide thing and more like education on food groups and stuff like that. I just think the issue is so multilayered and whilst calories on a menu isn't always bad idea, I don't think it's the answer to the health problems either
Kids need to be taught not to ‘fear’ calories but see them as an informational tool. If you work out and burn 4000 calories a day for example you could have that 1000 cal breakfast every day, but if you burn 1500 and are trying to lose weight it isn’t a great idea. The whole problem with diet culture is seeing high calorie foods as ‘bad’ when you just need to be informed.
I think a good solution would be to scan a QR code or something to see the calories. Sometimes I want to find the calories for takeout food and they’re a nightmare to find
I think a good solution would be to scan a QR code or something to see the calories. Sometimes I want to find the calories for takeout food and they’re a nightmare to find
I wonder this too, obviously chain places have someone properly doing it but for a small restaurant or cafe I wonder how accurately these are calculatedI know! I swear to god they must make it up?!
---
I think it would be better that basic cooking was taught at school, I remember starting uni and meeting people that didn't even know how to boil an egg
(literally not an exaggeration)Agreed but I still think nutrition is important. I am ashamed to admit that there were so many things about food I didnt learn until my twentiesI wonder this too, obviously chain places have someone properly doing it but for a small restaurant or cafe I wonder how accurately these are calculated
---
I think it would be better that basic cooking was taught at school, I remember starting uni and meeting people that didn't even know how to boil an egg
I think proper cooking classes should be taught too though, I learned how to make pizza and a Santa out of a walnut whip
I studied food tech at gcse and we did very little of practical use, at one point we had a 3 month project that what making a sandwich (not even making the breadAgreed but I still think nutrition is important. I am ashamed to admit that there were so many things about food I didnt learn until my twenties
I think proper cooking classes should be taught too though, I learned how to make pizza and a Santa out of a walnut whip
)The other thing they’re thinking of doing is putting obesity effects warning labels in plus size clothing? Not sure on that one, would probs just make me want to eat 