Why calories on menus is bad news.

TW: Discussions on fatphobia and mistreatment of those in larger bodies.

It has been announced that calories being visible on menus is now the literal law. This, my friends, is bad fucking news. The mental health system is at its knees, barely managing to function, yet the government is implementing policies that will actively make the situation worse. What's more, as you will find out in this piece, they know, and have been literally warned that it will have a severely detrimental impact.

In April 2021, a public enquiry was carried out by the Women’s and Equalities Commission (an appointed committee of MPs from both sides of the political spectrum) on the impact of negative body image on public health. It came about as a result of the complaints surrounding the announcement of the government’s “Obesity Strategy”. The enquiry report contained some pretty significant and juicy findings, and there was a flurry of articles and news bulletins when it was published. But people only took notice for about two days before it suddenly seemed to disappear into the back of the big filing cabinet with all the other public enquiries that the government have done jack shit about.

I shan’t go over every minutiae the enquiry went into, you can read it yourself (which I highly suggest you do) but I’ve pulled out some key bits and bobs to illustrate just how few fucks the government seem to give about anyone but themselves.

First off: the investigation found that those suffering with negative body image were:

• Less likely to visit the doctors

• Less likely to exercise

• More likely to smoke

• More likely to partake in high-risk drinking

• More likely to misuse/abuse drugs

• Less likely to socialise

• Less likely to engage in education

• Performing less well in their careers

DISCLAIMER: This list is applicable to people of every shape and size, as negative body image is sadly a pretty universal experience (for women especially). In this section, however, I focus more on those in larger bodies, because they are the ones being wrongfully attacked by the “obesity strategy”. It is never my intention to ‘other’ anyone in a larger body, and frankly, someone else’s health status is none of our business, but my aim is to simply unpick some of the cruel and simply incorrect myths we have been told about fat bodies as a result of entrenched fatphobia. (Read my FATPHOBIA piece for more)

So, this is pretty self-explanatory, those who feel shitty about their bodies, are less likely engage in what’s called “health-promoting behaviours”, or in other words, are less motivated to take care of their bodies.

As I said, poor body image affects people of any shape or size, because, sadly, diet culture has been shoving it’s cock down our innocent throats for so long, that we have all internalised it’s fatphobic messaging. However, I think it’s fair to say that those who are at the brunt of fatphobic messaging are fat folks themselves. (Just to be clear - the word “fat” has been used for many many years as a stigmatising insult, with the intention of shaming whomever it is directed. I am using it as a neutral descriptor of a body-type, with no judgement attached, just as you would describe someone’s hair colour) Now, we mustn’t forget that obviously there will be many people living in fat bodies who are confident, love themselves and are living their best lives, and I am by no means perpetuating the fucked up idea that you cannot be happy, successful and thriving at the same times as being in a fat body, because that’s just a blatant lie. What I am saying, is that being discriminated against and judged on a daily basis due to the size of your body, is not going to naturally fill you with love for the way you look. This is also evidenced by the report, which found that “Higher weight individuals of all ages, when compared to lower weight individuals, are more likely to report body dissatisfaction”.

So, if those in larger bodies are more likely to experience stigma as a result of their size, are we sure that those in larger bodies are classed as “unhealthy” due to the physical impact of their weight? Or might it be the product of being surrounded by toxic messaging that tells them they are unworthy of happiness and love unless they shrink themselves? That they then suffer with shitty body image and a sense of shame that makes them less likely to engage in health-promoting behaviours? Just a thought.

Moving onto the impact of weight-bias and discrimination. Here are some direct quotes from the enquiry:

• “There are clear associations with weight-stigma and mental health…weight-stigma is endemic within healthcare settings.”

• “A ‘routine’ procedure such as being asked to stand on scales within the GP surgery can have unseen consequences…which can lead to serious medical issues being disregarded as simply the patient being ‘overweight’.”

• “People with higher BMI told the committee that they felt it was difficult to access quality healthcare as health complaints were automatically diagnosed as weight related and not properly investigated.”

So, whilst it is widely accepted that “Obesity is damaging the NHS”, scientific and sociological research suggests that actually, the NHS might be damaging those who are deemed “obese” (by the bullshit BMI scale). Which, whilst we’re on the subject, was also criticised in the report’s conclusions: “Public Health England should stop using BMI as a measure of individual health and adopt a ‘Health at Every Size’ approach within 12 months”.

If those with higher BMI’s are looked down on by healthcare professionals, or worse, turned away and deemed unworthy of proper treatment until they lose weight, then no wonder their physical health will suffer in comparison to those who aren’t denied adequate treatment (ie thinner people).

I’ve previously mentioned Rebecca Hilles in my FATPHOBIA blog, who went to her doctor due to significant breathlessness and was turned away and told to lose weight for over 5 years. When they finally carried out the required tests, they found she had severe lung cancer. More recently, Amanda Lee, an aspiring actress in the US, went viral last year after posting an emotional video describing her experience at the doctors. She had been in such severe gastric pain that she hadn’t been able to eat, and her doctor said “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing”. After being turned away from multiple doctors, she finally found one that investigated her symptoms, as opposed to her BMI, and found she had stage 3 colon cancer. These aren’t just two shocking isolated events that I have dug out to make a point: this is the kind of treatment many larger bodied people receive regularly.

Finally, the report also covered the government’s proposed “Obesity Strategy”. Here are some of the conclusions:

• Cambridge University research found that government campaigns to tackle “Obesity” over the past 30 years have failed due to refusal to learn from past mistakes, and the focus on trying to change the behaviour of individuals as opposed to improving their environments.

• Policies around weight and health, and the way they are framed, are potentially causing dangerous behaviours, especially in young people.

• The Government should “urgently commission research into the extent and impact of weight-based discrimination for people accessing NHS services.”

• “The Government should immediately scrap its plans for calorie labels on food in restaurants, cafes, and takeaways.”

• “The current Obesity Strategy is at best ineffective and at worst perpetuating unhealthy behaviours”.

Read that again. The government are touting that their “obesity” strategy is all in the name of health - yet the evidence suggests that it could literally cause ill-health.

I didn’t make this shit up. These are direct quotes and findings from an enquiry carried out by the House of Commons’ Women’s and Equalities Committee. An in-depth investigation that gathered evidence from thousands of participants, researchers, psychologists, scientists and experts in the eating disorder, body image and healthcare space.

There’s nothing vague or ambiguous about the advice that’s been given to the government, it’s pretty crystal fucking clear. They just don’t give a fuck.

Words can’t really describe how enervating and triggering this is for those who either have in the past, or are struggling with disordered eating, an eating disorder or any kind of body dissatisfaction, which, let’s be honest, is basically all women.

The obsession with numbers; be that weight, calories, numbers of steps, is something that many many eating disorder sufferers have to overcome in recovery. They have to learn that food is more than numbers. It is taste, it is community, it is culture, it is love, it is experience, it is joy, it is fuel. Yet the government are taking guidance straight from the eating disorder playbook and encouraging the disordered idea that food is simply calories to be burnt. Lower calories = good and higher calories = bad. (Read my diet culture blog for more on this)

There are now going to be people who go to order their favourite thing on the menu, their favourite thing because it satisfies, comforts, energises them, only to see that, ‘Oh, the meal I’m getting is much higher in calories than my friend’s…maybe I’m eating a bit too much…maybe I should choose something else’, and there lies step one on the road to a fucked up relationship with food.

I could go on, but I would probably just find myself in a rabbit hole of anger, so I will end by reminding you all that stupid decisions made by powerful dickheads don’t need to have anything to do with you.

Cover the calories with one hand. Ask someone else to read the menu out for you. Ask for the waiter’s recommendation. Go to smaller, local restaurants and cafe’s that aren’t required to print calories. We don’t need anymore poor fuckers with eating disorders. Ignore the Tory cunts and enjoy whatever food you so please without even a shadow of guilt.