Health experts call for 'exercise equivalent' to feature on snack labels
POSTED 15 Jan 2016 . BY Jak Phillips
ukactive executive director Steven Ward said the positive reinforcement may be more effective in getting people active
Health experts are calling for labelling on food and drink to show how much activity would be required to burn off the calories contained in that product.
A new paper from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) – published today (15 January) – puts forward the policy call as part of recommended measures to tackle the UK’s growing obesity crisis. The prominence of physical activity is a significant development in the obesity debate, which has regularly seen exercise as a solution crowded out by calls for sugar taxes and junk food reform.
Amid findings that many people find current front-of-pack nutritional information confusing, RSPH proposes that food and drink labels take the form of prominent pictorial icons alongside existing front-of-pack information. RSPH says this could help moderate excessive calorie consumption, while the ‘activity equivalent’ aspect would help promote and normalise physical activity – bringing a wide range of physical and mental health benefits to the public beyond simple weight management.
According to RSPH research, people said they were three times more likely to undertake physical activity after viewing ‘activity equivalent’ calorie labels than after viewing current ‘traffic light’ nutritional labels alone.
“Although nutritional information provided on food and drink packaging has improved it is evident that it isn’t working as well as it could to support the public in making healthy choices,” said RSPH chief executive Shirley Cramer.
“Activity equivalent calorie labelling provides a simple means of making the calories contained within food and drink more relatable to people’s everyday lives, while also gently reminding consumers of the need to maintain active lifestyles and a healthy weight.”
RSPH research found that two-thirds (63%) of the public would support introduction of the new labelling, which ukactive executive director Steven Ward described as a “positive message”.
“We see a lot of health messaging telling us off, to eat and drink less, which although correct, doesn’t work for everyone,” said Ward.
“Encouraging people to be more active is a positive message, more about supporting people to start rather than imploring them to stop. Physical activity has been described by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges as a ‘miracle cure’ so we should treat it as just that.”
It’s been five years since the fitness industry reopened after the last lockdown – long enough
to look back on the impact the pandemic had on the sector and what might come next.
Wattbike has announced a new integration with EGYM, which enables the bikes to contribute to
the Cardio BioAge score of individuals via a VO2 max result.
Les Mills has launched a reformer Pilates workout. The 45-minute workout blends traditional
reformer movements and more contemporary exercises, choreographed to music.
Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the
stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod. [more...]
Health experts call for 'exercise equivalent' to feature on snack labels
POSTED 15 Jan 2016 . BY Jak Phillips
ukactive executive director Steven Ward said the positive reinforcement may be more effective in getting people active
Health experts are calling for labelling on food and drink to show how much activity would be required to burn off the calories contained in that product.
A new paper from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) – published today (15 January) – puts forward the policy call as part of recommended measures to tackle the UK’s growing obesity crisis. The prominence of physical activity is a significant development in the obesity debate, which has regularly seen exercise as a solution crowded out by calls for sugar taxes and junk food reform.
Amid findings that many people find current front-of-pack nutritional information confusing, RSPH proposes that food and drink labels take the form of prominent pictorial icons alongside existing front-of-pack information. RSPH says this could help moderate excessive calorie consumption, while the ‘activity equivalent’ aspect would help promote and normalise physical activity – bringing a wide range of physical and mental health benefits to the public beyond simple weight management.
According to RSPH research, people said they were three times more likely to undertake physical activity after viewing ‘activity equivalent’ calorie labels than after viewing current ‘traffic light’ nutritional labels alone.
“Although nutritional information provided on food and drink packaging has improved it is evident that it isn’t working as well as it could to support the public in making healthy choices,” said RSPH chief executive Shirley Cramer.
“Activity equivalent calorie labelling provides a simple means of making the calories contained within food and drink more relatable to people’s everyday lives, while also gently reminding consumers of the need to maintain active lifestyles and a healthy weight.”
RSPH research found that two-thirds (63%) of the public would support introduction of the new labelling, which ukactive executive director Steven Ward described as a “positive message”.
“We see a lot of health messaging telling us off, to eat and drink less, which although correct, doesn’t work for everyone,” said Ward.
“Encouraging people to be more active is a positive message, more about supporting people to start rather than imploring them to stop. Physical activity has been described by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges as a ‘miracle cure’ so we should treat it as just that.”
It’s been five years since the fitness industry reopened after the last lockdown – long enough
to look back on the impact the pandemic had on the sector and what might come next.
Wattbike has announced a new integration with EGYM, which enables the bikes to contribute to
the Cardio BioAge score of individuals via a VO2 max result.
Les Mills has launched a reformer Pilates workout. The 45-minute workout blends traditional
reformer movements and more contemporary exercises, choreographed to music.
According to research which tracked more than 147,000 people for 30 years, 90-120 minutes
of strength training a week may deliver some of the biggest long-term health rewards.
Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the
stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod. [more...]
