Recent evidence shows that calorie labeling has only modest effects

Providing calories on food labels and menus “is not a panacea,” say researchers who have analyzed the best evidence yet on how effective the measure can be.

A review of 25 studies Calorie labeling in a number of countries has found a small reduction in the number of calories people eat – the equivalent of two almonds – but even this modest effect could help prevent adults from gaining weight as they age.

The new rules for calorie labeling came into force in England in 2022 as part of the government’s plans to encourage people to make healthier choices.

The government said it would continue to assess the impact, including for people with eating disorders.

Restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 employees must now indicate on their menus how many calories their meals contain.

For Imara, a 27-year-old HR assistant from Birmingham, the change has been a positive part of her weight loss journey.

“This meant that I could stay on track, stay within my calorie deficit and still enjoy a good meal with friends or with my husband and still have a good time without having to worry about being out come on the trail.”

“Sometimes I just eat and don’t think about the calories,” she says.

“But if it’s a day or week where I want to stay on track, I look at the calories and see if it’s something that fits my goals.”

The study examined studies on the effects of calorie labels in supermarkets, restaurants and other grocery stores in countries such as the United States, Britain, Canada and France.

For a 600-calorie meal, an average reduction of 11 calories (or 1.8%) in the foods people chose and purchased was found.

The lead author Dr. Gareth Hollands from University College London said there was “a small but potentially significant effect on people’s food choices” but “we shouldn’t expect miracles”.

He said calorie labeling “could play a useful role” in prompting manufacturers to adjust recipes for food products to make them healthier, alongside other measures such as food and drink taxes, marketing restrictions and reformulations.

Dr. Natasha Clarke from Bath Spa University, who started the project at the University of Cambridge, says the evidence is “robust”.

And as calorie labeling becomes more widespread, the effect could make a “significant contribution” to public health.

However, charities say the policy can cause people with eating disorders to fear eating, which could trigger a relapse.

Milly Goldsmith, 27, a lifestyle influencer from London, struggled with anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphia from the ages of 13 to 18.

She says counting calories “fed” her eating disorder.

“I really feel like it just reinforces those eating habits and makes it a really toxic way of looking at food.”

Although Milly is in recovery, she describes the constant battle between her “eating disorder brain” and her “logical brain” not to focus on the calories in her meals.

The review noted a “lack of data” on the potential harms, including mental health effects, and the authors recommended future research to assess this.

To encourage healthier eating, the government has already announced plans to ban junk food advertising on TV and online in England alongside calorie labeling.

This is part of a broader plan to combat high infection rates obesity.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We have also given local authorities stronger powers to block applications for unhealthy takeaways near schools to prevent fast food giants from targeting pupils.”

The Scottish Government has consulted on whether restaurants and cafes must display calorie information.