I've been relatively quiet about the governments latest scheme and plan to introduce visible calories on menus. My mind has been racing, and I think I have felt every negative emotion under the sun; however I've just not been able to write anything that I am happy with or that I believe truly showcases why this whole thing is absurd. I decided to stop trying to write a perfect piece on the absurdity of the situation and just write an honest letter.
I know I come from a slightly biased place, being in recovery from an eating disorder, but I really don't think anyone will feel good about reading the calories in their meal before eating. Having calories on view is teaching our young people to measure their food based off numbers, and not off nutritional content. E.G. Yes a salad may have the least calories on the menu, but it provides hardly any nutrition! If people want to know the calories of their meals, they should have to look it up in their own time.
Dear Boris,
Every time your government has mentioned helping people with their mental health, I've always wondered how much they actually understand the extent of the UK's mental health crisis. I've put my optimistic hat on and chosen to believe that you've done your research and are truly invested in improving our countries mental health. I have never believed however that your government know how to "tackle obesity". They are clearly clueless about the fact that as human beings, we can be 'fat' and healthy, 'chubby' and healthy, and we can have a BMI over what it suggests our bodies should be in, and STILL be healthy.
There are contradictions left, right and centre in your ideas to tackle obesity. The most surreal thing is that you've recognised in the past that obesity can come from an eating disorder, but yet refuse to liaise with eating disorder specialists and charities before implementing your ideas.
My top three inconsistencies include:
- Not giving out free school dinners, forcing parents on a lower income to buy the cheaper food- which most of the time is less nutritional. (Oh but don't worry, your child can have a free banana walking round Tesco as a treat).
- Recognising that eating disorders are a growing problem, but then only a minimal amount of your government turning up the meetings to discuss how to better the services to help those suffering from them.
- Giving 50% off fast food restaurants, encouraging people to eat out, and then simultaneously telling them to watch what they're eating and forcing them to read the calorie content. Also "eat out, help out" is supposed to be helping small businesses after being affected by corona virus, but yet they'll all now have to re-print all of their menus, costing them money? It makes 0 sense.
I fully understand that clinical obesity when it is affecting someone's physical health, is a concern, and that it needs to be tackled, however the way to do it isn't by putting calories on the menus of restaurants.
3.5 million people in the UK struggle with an eating disorder (as you know and have publicly acknowledged), and I can only see this going up, and I can confidently say that the number will rise due to this scheme. People will start to obsess over this. It will turn into an even bigger mental health crisis!
On a personal level, I am terrified of my recovery at this point. I'm only just getting to the point where I feel able to try (with hella lots of anxiety each time) new restaurants where I don't know the calorie content of my food. I still struggle ordering certain foods at my 'safe restaurants' because the calories are INGRAINED into my head, making me feel horrific and guilty. This is not okay! And now you, the government are going to force me to look at calories in my meals, which is a huge trigger. I really do not think I will be able to eat out for a long time when this scheme is put in place. It really sucks.
Please don't go through with this, I am begging you.
Daisy 
Here's a link to a petition to hopefully stop this from going through...although I am not feeling very optimistic about the government listening, because when do they ever?
Look after yourselves,
Dais xo
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