Public Health England have launched a new campaign to help adults tackle hidden calories. According to their data, adults consume on average 200-300 more calories than they need to each day and that a quarter of calorie intake comes from eating out. Because of this, many major high street food retailers have joined with Public Health England to support us all to make healthier food choices.
The ‘One You’ campaign launches today, 6th March, to help people tackle the ‘calorie creep’. The new campaign provides adults with a simple tip to help them make healthier choices while out and about – aim for 400-600-600. That’s around 400 calories for breakfast, 600 for lunch and 600 for dinner, plus a couple of healthier snacks and drinks in-between. The tip will help adults reduce excess calorie consumption and stay within their recommended daily intake – 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men each day.
This comes as adults are consuming on average 200 to 300 more calories than they need each day.[2] Over time, these extra calories build up and can cause unhealthy weight gain. According to reports, adults consume around a quarter (20-25%) of their calories from eating out, with many unsure how many calories they actually need each day. The new campaign aims to help people be more aware of the calories they consume on the go and to make healthier choices easier, whether picking up breakfast on the way to work, having lunch at their desks or buying everyday meals. For most people, grabbing lunch is the norm – but consuming too many calories is easier than people may think. Something as common as a meal deal of a sandwich, a sugary soft drink and a packet of crisps can contain around 800 calories.
Major retailers – including Greggs, McDonalds, Starbucks and Subway – will now provide a range of options to help shoppers find 400 and 600 calorie meals. This will make healthier choices easier for their millions of customers across the UK.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: “It’s clear that excess calories are driving weight gain for many. Busy lives and too much food mean we’re often eating more food than we realise – especially when we’re grabbing food out and about. This can have a significant impact on our waistlines and our health. The 400-600-600 tip can help people make healthier choices when eating and drinking on the go. It’s encouraging to see major high street companies promoting lower calorie options and we hope more will follow suit.”
Adults will be signposted to 400 and 600 calorie meal options by partners through advertising, in-store promotion, social media and other online channels. All meals are below maximum recommendations for sugar, saturated fat, salt and calories to help people choose healthier options at-a-glance.
