Call for restaurants to list calorie information on menus

A government call for more restaurants to publish calorie information on their menus could help those on a health plan to fight obesity.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has urged businesses to establish a voluntary system whereby food produces and retailers show the calorie counts of their products.

It is hoped such a scheme will help reduce obesity levels across the country and remove some of the strain on the NHS of treating people for weight-related illnesses.

"Our aim is to give people the help and advice they need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and I want to make it as easy as possible for them to do that," he said.

"That's why we're working with industry to bring in calorie information on menus.

"As a nation we are too unhealthy. We cost the NHS billions of pounds a year through bad diet, lack of exercise and poor lifestyle choices. We can and we must improve this."

An advisory group of health experts, representatives of the food and drinks industry and campaign groups has already been set up to work with the government to help people lead healthier lives.

Waist to Height Ratio is a better predictor of heart disease and diabetes risk than body mass index (BMI), according to new research. British scientists analysed a team of 300,000 people, and found that Waist...

Only one in five people in the UK eat the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day, according to a new poll. The YouGov survey of more than 2,000 UK adults, carried out for the World Cancer Research...

The number of people dying from cancer in their 50’s has fallen to its lowest record level. Figures from Cancer Research UK show a 40 per cent drop in cancer deaths among 50 to 59 year olds. Now, 185 in...

Experts at Oxford University have recommended a 20 per cent fat tax on sugary drinks to help with the UK’s obesity crisis. A recent study published in the Lancet Journal warned that almost half of British men...

A survey by Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that people are often unprepared for the financial cost of cancer. Research by Macmillan Cancer Support has shown that the average cancer patient in Wales...