The Independent on Sunday
London, UK
6 April, 2008


Restaurants may be forced to use 'traffic light' labels on menus

Ministers consider introducing New York scheme to highlight unhealthy food in fight against obesity

By Jane Merrick, Political Editor

Restaurants could be forced to introduce a "traffic light" labelling system on menus to help curb rising levels of obesity, it was revealed to The Independent on Sunday last night. Diners could be faced with green, amber and red circles to guide them to the healthiest dishes on the menu.

A green circle would show food is safe and advisable to eat, while amber foods should be eaten in moderation. The unhealthiest food would carry a red circle warning of high fat, sugar and salt content and eaten only occasionally.

Supermarkets already follow a similar voluntary code, but some firms have refused to comply and show guideline daily amounts of ingredients (GDAs) instead.

Ministers are stepping up their anti-obesity campaign by considering a radical extension of the system to restaurant chains to persuade people to choose a healthier diet.

This month, New York will introduce a scheme forcing all chains of restaurants and fast food outlets to list calorie content next to their food. The city argues it could prevent 30,000 cases of diabetes and reduce the number of people suffering from obesity by 150,000 over five years.

The Department of Health is watching the New York scheme closely and is actively considering a version for the UK. It is hardening its policies on public health as obesity levels continue to rise. Two-thirds of adults and a third of 10-year-olds are classed as overweight or obese.

The Food Standards Agency has already held talks with some restaurant chains on a traffic light system. The move is likely to face stiff resistance from the food industry, which would be forced to spend money updating menus. It is also controversial for smaller chains because many dishes do not contain standardised levels of ingredients, while menus change from season to season.

McDonald's, which is affected by the New York regulations, said it was already having talks on introducing guidelines in the UK. "We have provided nutritional information on our UK packaging since 2006. The information we provide is the nutritional value of the menu item and how it relates to daily nutrient recommendations (GDAs). We also provide the information on the back of all tray liners."

In supermarkets, Asda and Marks & Spencer have agreed to the traffic light code, but Tesco claims the amber circle is too ambiguous and instead shows percentages of fat, sugar and salt in GDAs.

The Conservatives criticised the move. Health spokesman Andrew Lansley said: "We're in favour of giving people the information necessary to construct a healthy diet, but all we've had from Labour so far is dithering and delays. Food labelling must include GDAs, not just traffic lights. We need to emphasise the importance of a good diet, not just a good or bad food."

A Department of Health spokesman said it was considering the plan "in the future as part of a healthy food code of good practice".

In 2006, for the first time more money was spent on eating out than on meals cooked at home.

On the menu

McDonald's
Quarter pounder: fat 21g; carbs 37g; protein 23g.
Grilled chicken salad deluxe: fat 1.5g; carbs 7g; protein 21g.

Burger King
Cheeseburger: 19g fat; 27g carbs; 21g protein.
Vanilla shake: fat 9g; carbs 73g; protein 13g.

Pizza Express
Margherita pizza: fat 4g; carbs 40.5g; protein 13.5g.
Mixed leaf salad with olive oil dressing: fat 33.6g; carbs 4.8g; protein 0g.


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...nus-805246.html

Wow, really??

The rest of the mis-information doesn't surprise me at all (including the part about calorie listing preventing diabetes. What the?!) ... but is it true products in supermarkets are currently colour-coded????

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How long until restaurants aren't allowed to serve amber and red labelled foods to people considered obese, overweight or at risk of being overweight?

Yeah, I have read about them proposing denying cirtain foods of obese people at the table.

I dont think that food servers are qualified to do a health assesment at every table to deem weather they are obese or not. Would they not need to be a medical professional? I mean, they card people if they look of a cirtain age for alcohol. Fatness is too subjective.

I cant see the restaraunt lobby allowing this to happen. Too many special interests involved.

"Well, I served those people cause they are regulars and tip well, we want to keep their buisness." Then the obese people across the way are ticked because "those fat people got cheezy fries and we didn't"

Meanwhile, whe server faces the possibility of being sued/fined because they were a poor judge of weight/health ect. and the got busted by the equivalent of the booze commision that came in during a sting. Food servers are not medical professionals.

edit: (by medical proffesionals I mean a doctor prescribing a type of diet and the medical professional carrying out that order, and special training in assesment) What if that is not what the persons real doctor wants them to eat anyways???

Denying people at the table becasue they are too large is a poorly thought out idea.

The whole idea is misguided and will likely be based on the low fat/high carb model of what is considered *healthful.*

Idiots!

I think when people dine out they are eating for pleasure and are not concerned about their waistlines-- I was the same when I used to wolf down pizza.

This is just too much like the days that people were refused service based on their color. No one should be denied restaurant service based on their appearance.

I had this image of someone refusing to serve Shaq based on his appearance.

I'm booking my spot as a fly on the wall the day that happens

I think that government taking it upon itself to tell people how they should look and what they should or shouldn't eat is very invasive. It just too close to "Big Brother" controlling your life.

It is just too bad that government and so many doctors and scientists are so ignorant! What if a low carber went into a restaurant and decided to have a luscious high-fat, high-protien,low carb meal---and maybe was not at goal weight yet. What if some poor unenlightened server didn't know that and had to make a judgement call about the meal and the eater!

It's fine, I think, to provide nutritional info for people, but to invade their eating habits and self-image is sooooo wrong!