Obesity Task Force supports calorie labelling
Offering calorie information on menus at restaurants and in cinemas is part of a wider solution to help prevent rising obesity levels, according to Dr Tim Lobstein, policy director of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF).Dr Lobstein suggested that cinema snacks could carry calorie counts, as well as the traffic-light signalling system, to help inform consumers about the food they are eating.
He said: "People then would at least appreciate that these are not healthy foods, no matter what they might have been told by anyone else. I think it's all for the good – the more information the better."
Selling cinema snacks when people got to watch a film, he said, is simply providing a way for businesses to make the most from ticket sales.
Maximising portion sizes for people who are partaking in something that requires no physical activity will lead to weight gain, Dr Lobstein suggested.
His comments follow a report by consumer watchdog Which? that showed a popcorn bucket bought at the cinema and a medium sized drink may contain more than 75 per cent of a woman's daily recommended calorie intake.
