Food menu calorie counts dangerous for people with eating disorders, experts warn

Forcing Ontario restaurants to display calorie counts on menus may have dangerous and unhealthy consequences for people with eating disorders, say experts.

The Healthy Menu Choices Act becomes effecting on Jan. 1 and requires restaurants with 20 or more locations in Ontario to openly display calorie counts for items ontheir menu.

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The act was designed to give people more information about the calories they're consumingwhen eating out so they can make healthier choices, but experts are concernedthat posting the numbers can be a constant reminder to people struggling with eating disorders, such as bulimia oranorexia.

Andrea LaMarre, a PhDcandidate at the University of Guelph, launched an online petition to have the legislation repealed. Counting calories can be an obsession for someone struggling with an eating disorder,explained LaMarre, who focuses much of her research on young people with eating disorders.

"They may be able to more easily combat those thoughts that make calorie counting an obsession, if the number isn't directly thrown in their face every time they go to that restaurant," she said.

1,490 calories in a poutine

Even after seeing the number of caloriespeople may still eat food, then compensate later by vomiting, over exercising or misusing substances like laxatives, said Leta Marchand, clinical manager at theBulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association in Windsor, Ont.

"They're calorie counting every bite, every sip that goes into their body," she said."Someof them have found it triggering for their own recovery process, making it difficult to make food choices."

Manyrestaurants have got a head start on the province's regulationsand are already listing the amount of caloriesin their food.

AtCostcomenu boards indicate a poutine contains 1,490 calories, while a sausage breakfast sandwich on a biscuit at Tim Hortonscomes in at 500 calories.