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Why Exercise Calories Should NOT Be Added to Food Labels

A discussion on the Britain’s proposed changes to their nutritional labels. My thoughts on why the activity to burn off the calories in food should NOT be added. 

Why Exercise Should NOT Be Added to Food Labels: A Discussion on Healthy Helper Blog https://healthyhelperkaila.com?utm_source=utm_source%3DPinterest&utm_medium=utm_medium%3Dsocialmedia&utm_campaign=utm_campaign%3Dblogpost

Every year the FDA has rolls out some proposed changes to United States’ nutritional labels. I am all for updates, transparency, and giving consumers more information, so usually I agree with most of the new ideas. For example, this year they are working on a rule that would require brands to not only list the amount of sugar in their product but the percentage that the serving adds to their daily recommended amount. I think this is great and is definitely a great way to make people more mindful of ADDED sugar in their diet (I am hoping they stipulate between naturally occurring and added sugar so as not to confuse people!).

Just like the US, Britain is dealing with a mass obesity epidemic and they too come up with changes to their nutrition labels on a yearly basis. Since the US and Britain are such close allies and similar in terms of their societies, most of the changes made to either usually follow each other in some way. With that in mind, I was alarmed when I recently saw a news story about Britain’s proposed nutritional label changes.

This year, the Royal Academy of Public Health announced that they were considering adding ‘exercise calories’ to their food’s packaging. What are exercise calories you may ask? Well they would include the amount of activity it would take to burn the calories in the specific food you were buying. I was SHOCKED by this new plan. Not only do I think it is useless, but potentially dangerous as well.

I get their thinking. They want people to add more exercise and movement into their day while at same time learning to be more mindful of how calories in and calories out really work. The public sometimes has a warped sense of just how much they are consuming and just how much activity it takes to maintain a healthy equilibrium in terms of weight. I don’t disagree here. But I don’t think adding ‘exercise calories’ to nutritional labels is an effective or beneficial way to go about addressing the issue.

For starters, how would they ever decide how many ‘exercise calories’ to put on the label? EVERYONE burns calories differently! It depends on size, weight, age, height, gender, activity level, metabolism, and a host of other individual factors. And that’s just naming a few things to consider!

Would they choose an average? Have different guidelines for men vs. women? What about kids? Would “healthy” foods get these same labels?

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Secondly, adding this type of information to food is just furthering the obsession with diet culture that our society is already plagued with. It’s going to foster a perfect environment for eating disorders, restriction, and exercise addiction.

Those that are already into fitness may feel even more obligated to ‘burn off’ what they consume and those that are new to it will have a first introduction that leads them to taking extreme measures. Just consider this quote from Susan Roberts, a scientist at Tufts University…

“You can’t get a regular human to do more than 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day. If you label the food, it’d have you doing four to six hours of exercise a day… so ridiculous.”

Food and exercise should not be connected! You don’t have to ‘earn’ what you eat through movement. You don’ t ‘deserve’ to eat only when you’ve worked out for the day. On the contrary, you need to eat to live. Just being alive makes you worthy of food and enjoyment.

Speaking of enjoyment…adding MORE numbers and measurements to an already complicated label is just totally sucking all the fun and pleasure out of eating. While food isn’t everything, it IS meant to be enjoyed as well as provide nourishment.

In a world where the majority of people already have an unhealthy relationship with food as it is, adding more factors for them to obsess about isn’t helping any of our problems.

How about instead of adding things to packaging, we start promoting healthier foods on a daily basis? How about instead of focusing on burning calories, we suggest little ways people can add movement to their day?

The government always seems to want to emphasize ‘removing’ things in order to get healthier. Certain foods, amounts of calories, fat grams, sugar, etc. But clearly, since we’re still struggling with weight problems (on both ends of the spectrum), that isn’t working.

It’s time we focus on ADDING things to our lives. Adding whole foods. Adding movement that makes us happy. Adding more water. Adding more sleep. Adding time outside. Adding random acts of kindness. Adding more compassion for ourselves!

The one thing that shouldn’t be added? Exercise calories on nutritional labels.

Health is so much more than calories in and calories out. It’s about mind, body, and spiritual balance. Creating more reason for people to fixate on numbers in regards to their food choices is just hindering their ability to achieve that equilibrium.

Just my two cents. 

 

Why #Exercise Calories Should NOT Be Added to #Food Labels…

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What are your thoughts on this proposed change in Britain?

Would you like to see this policy implemented in the US?

How do you think it would affect your relationship with food and exercise?

 
 
 
 
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75 responses to “Why Exercise Calories Should NOT Be Added to Food Labels”

  1. I agree with you wholeheartedly, Kaila. I think this is just something that is not needed on a food package and it could be damaging to many people out there who struggle with eating disorders, warped body images, or have done so in the past. I’m all for transparency in our food. Give me all the transparency! But this just doesn’t seem necessary.

    Reply

  2. Wonderfully written. Very insightful as always. I am a little appalled by the idea of adding exercise minutes to nutrition labels. I also feel it would contribute to over-exercising and everyone’s preoccupations and obsessions with exercise and body image in general. Adding instead of subtracting is a better way to tackle the issues.
    “Just being alive makes you worthy of food and enjoyment”
    Agreed!

    Reply

  6. This is so interesting. I echo Bri’s comment, and completely agree with you. Saying that everyone takes x amount of time to burn calories is like saying the calorie count on treadmills is accurate!

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  7. I totally agree. It makes me sad how little the public knows about nutrition and health. Calories are not all created equal. There may be fewer calories in a fruit roll-up than a fresh avocado, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthier. Eesh.

    Reply

  8. I could not agree more! Eating food is totally independent of exercising! You should be doing both and not because of the other. Ugh I loathe this idea to add exercise to food labels 🙁
    Plus, it’s not very accurate. I would need to exercise for a different amount of time than a 20 year old 6 foot tall male haha

    Reply

  9. Really?? Really Britain? Wow this is such a bad idea I’m almost in disbelief. The whole concept that you have to burn off every single calorie you eat is completely ridiculous already, calorie counting apps are enough to screw people up this is the last thing we need. Totally crazy, and like you said everyone burns different amounts of calories anyways. Grr!

    Reply

  11. First, I had no idea this was even a thought and two, I totally agree with you! Adding more numbers and things to keep track of will only make people more confused and it encourages the idea of “well, I just went for a 3 mile run, so I can have that cupcake!”

    Reply

  12. Hm, well I don’t really think the proposed labelling is a great idea either, but I’m wondering whether you actually read the RSPH’s positioning paper and Cramer’s article in the BMJ before writing this post?

    Reply

      • Oh, sorry, the way you introduced your post made it sound like you were adding your contribution to the debate around this in the UK. The positioning paper is (as the name suggests!) where the Royal Society for Public Health presents their proposed strategy (I know you refer to the Royal Academy in your post, but I assume you meant the RSPH?). It answers some of your questions (though I get the impression these were mostly rhetorical?) and also suggests that a majority of the British public support this kind of move. Shirley Cramer is the CE of the RSPH, and she recently wrote a statement piece for the British Medical Journal defending the policy (not a great article though IMO). I do think you (and your readers) need to recognise that your world, i.e. that of so-called Healthy Living Bloggers, is not the world of your average Brit (or, I suppose, your average American, though I wouldn’t know about that). The problem for most people is under- not over-exercising, We live in a dangerously sedentary society and the food and exercise habits of millions of British people are a serious threat to their lives. And that’s what’s at stake here at the end of the day, people’s lives. I agree with you completely that the focus should be on eating nutritious, wholesome, “real” food and on moving as a natural part of one’s daily life, but changing habits in that way takes much, much longer, and people are dying from poor diets and a lack of exercise, so if this strategy could help save lives while we ALSO, simultaneously, focus on a long-term strategy of promoting healthy habits that have nothing to do with calories in and out, then I think that’s a good thing. And since a majority of the people polled in the RSPH’s research suggested that they would appreciate this kind of labelling and that they would make different food choices in response to such labelling, then I’m not sure that that’s such a horrible thing (even though I do disagree with the focus on numbers!). I understand that you’re concerned about the promotion of disordered behaviour/attitudes toward food and exercise, but there’s a more urgent issue at stake here, and that’s the strong link between poor diets and lack of exercise and major causes of death in the West – i.e. coronary heart disease and some cancers, and the health risks associated with type 2 diabetes. Anyway, sorry for the essay, I just wanted to add my two cents’ to your discussion, as I think it’s important to consider this from all angles. Finally, here’s a link to Cramer’s BMJ article: http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i1856 And the RSPH’s positioning paper can be downloaded from their website: https://www.rsph.org.uk/en/policy-and-projects/areas-of-work/activity-equivalent-labelling/index.cfm

        Reply

        • Comments like these are why I LOVE blogging. I write posts like this for discussion and this is exactly what you’ve brought to the table. Thank you so much for offering a different perspective and some new insights I hadn’t thought of. I will DEFINITELY be checking out those articles and I am excited to learn more about this issue. It’s complex and I can definitely see your point of view. Thanks for stopping by!

          Reply

  14. This is news to me as well! I honestly for some reason can’t imagine the US implementing this here.
    Personally, my relationship between food & exercise was already messed up with everything that circulates on the web telling you what’s “good” and “bad.” Don’t they realize how triggering this can be for people with ED pasts?

    What’s more is that WE NEED CALORIES. These added labels would cause more guilt, anxiety and negative thoughts. We should be able to eat what and when we want, exercise when and how long we want, wihtout feeling the pressure to “burn it off.” I’m with ya on the added sugar though.

    Reply

  15. Great post. This is really written well and full of information. I think that you are absolutely correct, this would be more damaging than it would be helpful. Especially to young teens who are worrying about their weight, the ones that have the propensity to become someone with an eating disorder. Not only do I agree with you that this would, Or could, lead to over-exercising I think that it could be another area of stress or anxiety for people. We have so many things in this world that we must do, should do, need to do… anxiety and stress cause many people to store weight. And our bodies are unable to function as they should. This is just one more thing for people to stress and worry about, I agree we should make it a positive message not a negative one.

    Reply

  16. Totally agree. It just feeds the obsession with diet and exercise culture. The people most impacted by it will be those who are already obsessed with eating and exercising. I didn’t need that info on food to make me feel like I need to go out and run an extra mile to eat something. Good post!

    Reply

  17. This is news to me! I had no idea this was being considered. I agree that this move would only muddy the waters of an already murky situation with our body conscious society. You made great points!

    Reply

  18. I saw this on the news the other day and completely agree that this is just confusing. Anyway, we use calories just being alive, so no allowance is made for that! It’s all just too complicated and this will make it more so.
    I think cheap “rubbish” in the shops is the main problem, straight after the news we saw and advert for one of the supermarkets selling 5 jam doughnuts for 50p – I think that’s shocking. If you are a skint mum wanting a treat for your kids are you going to go for 10p each doughnuts or a bunch of grapes for £1.30?
    The other big problem I think people have is portion size, but that’s another story. That and the fact that cookery shows are super popular but sales of ready meals are at an all time high!

    Reply

    • Thanks for our insight! I too think the obesity problem is a lot more complicated than just telling people who much exercise they need to do to burn off their bag of chips. There’s is a wider, systematic problem that needs addressing. Not quick fixes that won’t work anyways!

      Reply

  19. I agree! I think one size fits all calorie statements just hurts most people. It is like the workout ads that boast torching 1000 calories in an hour then people wonder why they are not losing weight when they follow that program. I get that they want to encourage activity, but any calorie burn numbers are jut estimates and there is not a simple way to give each person a realistic estimate on a food label.

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  21. Great commentary. If we focus on
    Eating the foods that don’t come with labels and build our diets around those foods, we can enjoy the occasional treat without trying to run it off afterwards.

    Reply

  22. I had never heard of exercise calories either. Part of me likes the idea, but another part of me agrees with you that it’s totally unnecessary and sends a wrong message. I do have enough food issues as it is (thinking I “deserve” this or that) without adding another. 🙂

    Reply

  24. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe at the #RecipeSharingParty! I hope to see you next week. Pinned. Please visit Over the Moon for more sharing fun! Don’t forget to comment your link #’s so I can be sure to visit.
    This share was not yummed as it doesn’t meet the yummly criteria. It has been tweeted and pinned!

    Reply

  25. YES completely agree!!! Definitely makes it hard to develop a good relationship with food when you’re essentially being told “do this after you eat that or else” like i understand what they’re trying to do with the rising obesity rates, but this is just unnecessary!

    Reply

  26. Hey Kaila! Thank you for linking up at Funtastic Friday! It was great to see you again! This is a great post! I wasn’t aware that exercise calories were being added to food labels! I am in total agreement with you!!!

    Reply

  27. That is absurd! One of the things that I think is really unhealthy about comparing the calorie content of foods is that it shows you nothing about many other aspects of the nutritional value of the food. It also sort of suggests that you have to burn every calorie you eat with exercise, and that kind of thinking is definitely, definitely disordered. For instance, the graphic is suggesting that you have to do a lot more exercise to “burn off” a sandwich bar than a chocolate bar–but even if I weren’t planning to get a lot of exercise in the afternoon, it’s still a lot healthier to eat a sandwich for lunch than a candy bar.

    Okay, rant over. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  28. […] I love learning. When I read this first article, I learned something new – and shocking! Britain is in talks about their food labels, specifically, whether they should add “exercise calories” to foods. Kaila over at Healthy Helper wrote a great article sharing her two cents about this topic. You may think it’s a good idea, I even thought it might not be that bad…but Kaila makes some really great points about why this might be the worst idea for food labels yet! Read what the Healthy Helper has to say in her article, Why Exercise Calories Should NOT Be Added to Food Labels. […]

    Reply

  29. I guess I can see where they’re coming from, but I definitely don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, if you can’t even provide accurate information to the consumers (and that’s impossible knowing the vast differences of how different people burn calories) then you’re knowingly providing inaccurate information which really, won’t help anybody. You made a great point, just because we work out, doesn’t mean we ‘deserve’ a treat. Thanks for sharing at Let’s Get Real Friday!

    Reply

  30. I hadn’t heard of this new change however it struck me, as a read your post, that I honestly don’t see the point! If your consuming the product, not many people are going to think ‘oh, I must go and run for x amount of minutes to burn this off!’ seems like a really strange addition to the nutritional information. What would be better is to make the information already on the labels easier to decipher and better to read! Really interesting post 🙂

    #brillblogposts

    Reply

  31. Completely agree with you Kalia. Cannot believe they would add this to food labels. This would cause an even greater outbreak of disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with exercise which would just be so heartbreaking. I wasn’t even informed of these possible changes, so thank you so much for this post! Hope you are having a great week <3

    Reply

  32. I see the intent but I also see so many problems with doing this. Confusing being at the top of the list. So many people are confused with labels as it is. Adding this will likely make it more so.

    Reply

  35. I live in the UK and actually think these labels could be quite useful in some form or another.

    They’re basically trying to address the disconnection a LOT of people have with meaningless numbers on the back of food packs. Only those counting calories/fat/sugar/etc. understand nutritional labels. Seeing ’15 minutes running’ connects with everyone in a real way.

    I think it could also be useful to show how what you eat has a accumulating affect, and how ‘being bad’ will build up into a greater trouble, rather than the single ‘sin’ of eating poorly as a whole.

    Reply

  37. Great post – and I do agree with you. Plus, I wouldn’t pay attention to exercise, but I know many who would. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday.

    Reply

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