This new Cochrane review concludes that although calorie labeling on foods and menus reduces calorie intake, this average effect remains extremely modest.
The studyled by a team of experts made up of scientists from University College London (UCL), the University of Bath, Cambridge and Oxford, analyzes data from 25 studies carried out on this impact of labeling calories on food products, involving a total of 10,000 participants from high-income countries, including Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. 16 studies were carried out in restaurants, cafeterias and supermarkets. 2 of the studies focused on alcoholic drinks but their results were too uncertain to draw significant conclusions on the display of calories on this group of drinks. The analysis finds that:
- on the labels of supermarket products, on the menus of restaurants and other food points of sale, the display of calories allows a reduction in the calories selected, purchased and finally consumed;
- however the average reduction remains extremely low at around 1.8%;
- this equates to 11 calories per 600 calorie meal,
-
the equivalent of 2 almonds per meal!
Small daily changes in energy intake can have significant effects if they are maintained over the long term, however, note the researchers who therefore support the positive effect of this display and note its usefulness in particular against age-related weight gain. The studies estimated that
90% of 20-40 year olds gain up to 9 kg over 10 years
and a reduction in daily energy intake of 24 calories per day, or about 1% of the recommended intake for adults, would be enough to avoid this increase.
-Lead author Dr Gareth Hollands, from the UCL Social Research Institute and the University of Cambridge, concludes that “this labeling of calories can have a certain impact on public health but is only one solution among others: if the effect is very real, it remains very modest”.
Belgium
