Calorie counts on the menu for council

Councillor Janet Emsley

Rochdale Borough Council is backing calls to make publishing calorie information on food and drink in pubs, restaurants and cinema chains a requirement.

The council wants chains with more than 20 outlets to display calorie counts on menus and at counters to help tackle childhood obesity.

Latest figures for the Rochdale borough show that 21.9% of children aged four to five and 35.4% aged 10 – 11 are classfied as overweight or obese.

Rochdale Council joins more than 370 councils, represented by the Local Government Association (LGA), who want to make people more aware of how many calories they are eating and drinking so they can make informed choices.

Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said: “If our residents can clearly see how many calories are in a snack, meal or drink they may be more likely to choose a healthier option. Obesity in children is a priority for public health because it can lead to serious health conditions like diabetes, cancer and heart disease later in life. I believe that an initiative that is working to prevent these problems and make our borough a healthier place to live can only be a positive step forward.

"The Government is currently working on a strategy to tackle childhood obesity.

"The Council is already working with local takeaways to give residents across the borough the chance to make healthier choices when buying fast food.

“Publishing calorie counts will go hand in hand with the great work we’re already doing in the borough to tackling obesity and other health concerns. 36 of our local takeaways have signed up to the Healthier Choices scheme, offering smaller portions and lower fat options. I would like to urge our residents to choose these options when treating themselves; you’ll be doing yours and your families’ hearts a big favour.”