Widespread Calorie Labelling on Menus Could Prevent Thousands of Deaths in England

A study suggests extending calorie labelling to all food businesses could significantly reduce heart disease-related deaths, despite concerns over potential negative impacts.

More than 9,000 heart disease-related deaths could be prevented in England over the next two decades if calorie information is displayed on all food menus.
Current government policy, which only requires large businesses to display calorie counts, may prevent around 730 deaths from cardiovascular diseases by 2041.
Extending calorie labelling to all food businesses could reduce obesity prevalence in England by 2.65 percentage points, compared to 0.31 percentage points under the current policy.
Concerns have been raised about the potential negative consequences of calorie labelling, including its impact on people with eating disorders and the cost to small businesses.
Researchers advocate for a more ambitious government strategy to tackle obesity, suggesting that calorie labelling should be part of a broader range of policies.