The provincial government plans to introduce a law that it hopes will help reduce obesity in Ontario.
The law would require that all chain restaurants in the province to post the calorie content of each product, including alcoholic beverages, next to said product on that restaurant’s menu.
It will also be expanded to grocery and convenience stores that serve ready-to-go meals. If caught violating the law, the offending establishments will be fined up to $10,000 for repeat offenses.
Every so often new reports come out outlining the increase in obesity in Canada, the United States, and other countries in the developed world. Most of these reports say that one of the main causes of obesity is a lack of a healthy diet and beneficial exercise.
A report in the Canadian Medical Journal published earlier this month projected that 21 per cent of Canadians would be obese by 2019.
A report published by the University of British Columbia earlier this year found that the obesity rate in Ontario increased by five per cent between 2004 and 2009, and currently sits at 29 per cent, which is above the national average.
Calorie content in food and beverages is important for a healthy lifestyle. Calories give the body energy in order to function effectively.
All packaged goods sold in Canadian stores are required to list their nutritional information and ingredients in both official languages, though some imported goods get around this requirement.
Nutrition labels imply that the average Canadian should eat 2,000 calories each day, and other nutrients – both good and bad – list the percentages of their daily value intake in accordance to that diet. But posting calories alone, as research has shown, will not likely help in reducing and/or preventing obesity.
Most Ontarians won’t change what they order for lunch tomorrow.
Many Ontarians do look at the nutritional information of something before purchasing it. But the problem is that the recommended 2,000 calories a day diet is not meant for someone of average height and weight.
For example, a woman who is five-feet-one-inch tall and weighing 115 pounds would be consuming more than the required amount of calories in relation to her body mass index.
Calorie content isn’t the only thing that determines whether food is healthy or not to reduce obesity or to aid in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.
In addition, it appears that many Ontarians simply don’t care what goes into their food, or how fattening it is.
If someone wants a McDonald’s Big Mac or a Starbucks Venti Caramel Frappucino that badly, chances are they will still purchase one, regardless of how healthy – or in this case – unhealthy it is.
There has been no evidence that proves that listing nutritional information in restaurants reduces obesity and helps consumers make healthier choices.
The Globe and Mail reported last month that according to a 2009 study that analyzed four fast-food chains in New York City that, contrary to expectations, customers purchased more food despite the calorie listing as required by law.
Many restaurant chains have done their part in conveying their products nutritional information to their customers, albeit only online. But with the obesity rate continuing to grow, has this really been successful at reducing obesity?
But there is something governments can do that will potentially reduce obesity: pass legislation to ensure that restaurants must limit the fat, calorie, and sodium content in their foods.
It is a common misconception that purchasing a salad at a fast food chain or sit-down restaurant is healthy. But that is not the case.
A CTV News report last year stated that a chilidog from Wendy’s was healthier than any of their salads, due to the high calorie and fat content in its dressings and non-vegetable ingredients, such as croutons, cheese, and meat.
A report in the Toronto Star last month said that a sandwich from Montana’s contains three times the amount of the recommended sodium intake.
Provincial Health Minister Deb Matthews said last month that if restaurants post all their information next to each menu item, it would be too confusing for customers.
While that may be true for some, calorie counting is not enough to determine if something is healthy or not.
If the province wants to make a real impact on the nutitional value of the foods we eat then it should enact legislation to force restaurants to comply with stricter health regulations.
These regulations should limit the fat, sodium and sugar contents
in foods and beverages that can be sold to the public. The provincial government’s heart is in the right place, but its current plan will not be effective in reducing obesity in Ontario.
Until then, the only people who will take extra care to know the contents of their food and beverages are those who keep specific diets, either for personal preference, health reasons or food allergies.