Academic Journal
'I think from my experience, it's a negative thing for most people': Exploring the perspectives of young British women opposed to the calories on menus policy in the UK.
| Title: | 'I think from my experience, it's a negative thing for most people': Exploring the perspectives of young British women opposed to the calories on menus policy in the UK. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Canzini M; University of Bath, UK., Langdon-Daly J; University of Bath, UK. |
| Source: | Journal of health psychology [J Health Psychol] 2025 Nov; Vol. 30 (13), pp. 3698-3713. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Feb 19. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Sage Publications Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9703616 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1461-7277 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13591053 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Health Psychol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: London ; Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications, 1996- |
| MeSH Terms: | Energy Intake* , Menu Planning* , Health Policy* , Public Opinion*, Humans ; Female ; United Kingdom ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Qualitative Research ; Interviews as Topic |
| Abstract: | The compulsory inclusion of calorie information on menus has been health policy in the UK since 2022. Public opinion on the policy varies, with young women particularly likely to oppose and express concerns. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of young women with a negative opinion of the policy. Eight White British women (18-25 years) volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions and experiences with calories on menus. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis developed three themes: (1) viewing calories fed their own unhealthy relationship with food; (2) calories don't tell you everything that matters about food; (3) negative emotional reactions are shaped by society's encouragement of the thin ideal. The women's negative opinions on the policy appeared heavily grounded in, and indicative of, their own negative emotional responses to viewing calorie information. They linked these responses to sociocultural meanings and ideals related to thinness, food choice and dieting. |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. |
| References: | J Adolesc Health. 2020 Nov;67(5):714-717. (PMID: 33099414) Int J Eat Disord. 2009 Jul;42(5):471-4. (PMID: 19107833) JAMA. 1998 Mar 25;279(12):938-42. (PMID: 9544768) J Health Psychol. 2012 Jan;17(1):46-56. (PMID: 21610010) Clin Cornerstone. 2009;9(4):9-25; discussion 26-9. (PMID: 19789061) Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Nov;30(11):1585-94. (PMID: 16801930) BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021 Feb 01;7(1):e000960. (PMID: 34192010) J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018 Mar;118(3):399-408. (PMID: 29325890) Public Health. 2015 Jun;129(6):732-9. (PMID: 25931435) Qual Health Res. 2016 Nov;26(13):1753-1760. (PMID: 26613970) Br J Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 27;:1-3. (PMID: 35048812) Int J Eat Disord. 2017 Mar;50(3):275-283. (PMID: 28130796) Appetite. 1999 Apr;32(2):171-90. (PMID: 10097024) Clin Obes. 2020 Dec;10(6):e12403. (PMID: 32857454) Eat Behav. 2017 Aug;26:89-92. (PMID: 28214452) Psychol Med. 2022 Oct;52(14):3222-3230. (PMID: 33436120) Nutr Today. 2003 Mar-Apr;38(2):42-53. (PMID: 12698053) Eat Behav. 2022 Aug;46:101653. (PMID: 35907363) Appetite. 2024 Jan 1;192:107094. (PMID: 37866528) J Am Coll Health. 2018 Oct;66(7):608-616. (PMID: 29405860) Int J Eat Disord. 2023 Nov;56(11):2049-2061. (PMID: 37507841) J Adolesc Health. 2002 Aug;31(2):166-75. (PMID: 12127387) Obes Sci Pract. 2023 Apr 23;9(5):459-467. (PMID: 37810520) Curr Sports Med Rep. 2019 Aug;18(8):287-291. (PMID: 31389870) Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Nov;31(11 Suppl):S515-21. (PMID: 10593521) Eat Behav. 2016 Aug;22:194-198. (PMID: 27299698) Am J Prev Med. 2024 Feb;66(2):269-278. (PMID: 37813173) Nat Hum Behav. 2025 Feb;9(2):277-286. (PMID: 39587333) Behav Res Ther. 1990;28(3):205-15. (PMID: 2196049) Can J Public Health. 2019 Dec;110(6):816-820. (PMID: 30701412) Psychol Rep. 1980 Oct;47(2):483-91. (PMID: 7454902) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: calories on menus; disordered eating; obesity prevention policy |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250220 Date Completed: 20251114 Latest Revision: 20260424 |
| Update Code: | 20260425 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12618722 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13591053251318192 |
| PMID: | 39972617 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1461-7277 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1177/13591053251318192 |