News and Opinion

There are stories relating to obesity breaking around the world every day.  The stories below are those where journalists haver sought NOF opnion/quotes or summaries of research on which NOF may have a view.  Where possible the source of the stories are identified by the newspaper banner or a URL in red.

NOF Opinion will always be identified in italics.

McDonald's post calorie counts

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McDonald's are to post " calorie counts " for their products in all 1200 UK outlets from September 7th.  Along with other " fast food " retailers such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Pret a Manager and J D Wetherspoon, they are fulfilling their Responsibility Pledge to the Department of Health [DH] to help combat opbesity.  With 3m McDonald's meals being served daily, the DH hopes that this will have a huge effect on the high street and will help people make healthier choices when they eat " out-of-home ".

Though this is a welcome move and a step in the right direction, it is little more than window dressing when compared with the measures that need to be taken to reduce the ingredients of high-dense food to acceptable levels.  Even DH and McDonald's agree that only 20% Big Mac customers are likely to take heed of the counts - but those that do, if New York research is anything to go by, consume 100 calories less per meal.