Calorie-Workout Icons on Food Packets can Curb Obesity

A small icon on the front of the packet displaying the type of workout and the number of calories burned could help people make wiser choices on food.

Do you know how many calories you consume by munching on junk foods? Though the exact amount of calories are mentioned on the packets, how much exercise you'll need to do to burn off the calories is not indicated.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the Royal Society of Public Health, has suggested that food packaging must carry information on how much exercise is needed to burn off the calories consumed in the product.

US Regulators Urge To Include More Detail About Added Sugars on Food Labels
The Food and Drug Administration has urged food manufacturers to express the amount of sugar in teaspoons as well as grams for people to understand better.

‘Royal Society of Public Health expert suggests the introduction of activity equivalent calorie labeling on food packets to curb obesity and inactivity.’

She said that a small icon on the front of the packet displaying the type of workout and the number of calories burned could help people make wiser choices on food.

In today’s world, people do not get enough physical activity and are moving towards a sedentary lifestyle. The introduction of activity equivalent calories labeling can be a fairly simple step to curb obesity and make people engage in physical activity.

She also said that people only take six seconds to decide to buy a product and icons on the top depicting calories and workout needed can help them choose healthier options easily.

Food Labels Nudge Diners to Make Healthier Food Choices: Cornell Study
Putting calories and fat content on the label on various foods purchased produces a 7% reduction of mean total calories and total fat purchased per week.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the RSPH, said, "The aim is to prompt people to be more mindful of the energy they consume and how these calories relate to activities in their everyday lives, to encourage them to be more physically active.”

"Such information needs to be as simple as possible so that the public can easily decide what to buy and consume in the average six seconds people spend looking at food before buying.”

EU Says British 'Traffic Light' Food Labels Need to be Clearer
Britain has been urged by the EU to answer complaints about its traffic light anti-obesity food label system.

"If we put this activity-equivalent calorie labeling on unhealthier food, then we'd be hoping to make some difference in people's lives, that they would be making better choices. Anything to kick-start physical activity," she added.

Source-Medindia

Smileys Improve Food Choices, Promote Healthy Eating Habits Among Children
Labelling healthy foods with smiley faces and offering small prizes for buying nutritious items can make kids purchase and eat healthier food.