It has been emphasised often again that one should read the food labels properly before purchasing the product. However, according to a latest study, this much is not enough. New research from Longborough University states that these new food labels should also inform people about the amount of exercise needed to burn calories, instead of just informing them about the calories present in a particular product. People do not understand calories and fat levels in terms of energy balance, which is why the researchers said it was important to guide the right exercise that may help healthy weight management.
The study said that the introduction of 'physical activity calorie equivalent or expenditure' (Pace) food labelling will tell consumers how many minutes or miles of exercise they need to burn calories in a particular product they are likely to consume, Sky News reported.
Using data retrieved from 14 trials, the team found that 65 fewer calories per meal were selected when Pace labelling was used, and 80-100 fewer calories consumed, which rounds up to almost 200 calories per day.
In a research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, the authors also predicted that "pace labelling is a simple strategy that could be easily included on food/beverage packaging by manufacturers, on shelving price labels in supermarkets, and/or in menus in restaurants/fast-food outlets."
"Public health agencies may want to consider the possibility of including policies to promote (it) as a strategy that contributes to the prevention and treatment of obesity and related diseases.
"They did however caution that many of the studies from which the data were drawn were not carried out in real-life environments, such as restaurants and supermarkets.
They said the effects of Pace labelling could vary according to context, with marketing, time constraints and price all likely to affect choices".
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