BMJ Public Health
Calorie labels may help binge-eating, but worsen restrictive dieting
Clinical takeaway: Calorie labels may support some patients with binge eating, but they can also worsen distress, avoidance, and recovery challenges in people with restrictive eating disorders.
Menu calorie labels are meant to promote healthier choices, but their effects in disordered eating are far from uniform. This study examined how people with current or past disordered eating perceive and respond to menu calorie information.
In a mixed-methods survey of 1,001 people in England aged 16 years or older with current or past disordered eating, researchers assessed views on mandatory calorie labels and alternative labeling approaches.
The divide was clear with 50% of participants falling in negative-impact groups, while 24% were neutral, and 26% were positive. People with binge eating were more likely to view calorie labels favorably, while those with restrictive eating features, prior treatment, and greater impairment were more likely to report distress, avoidance, and concerns about relapse. Optional calorie labels were the preferred alternative.
The findings suggest that calorie labels are neither uniformly helpful nor harmful. Their effects seem to depend on eating disorder profile and stage of recovery, making this more a case for individualized counseling .
“People with eating disorders have a variety of views about calorie labels, but people with binge eating are more likely to find them helpful,” said first author Dr. Nora Trompeter of the Institute of Child Health at University College London.
Source: Trompeter N. BMJ Public Health. 2026 Apr 15. Views of people with disordered eating on current and alternative out-of-home calorie labelling policies in England: a mixed-methods survey