The impact of the English calorie labelling policy on the energy content of food offered and purchased in worksite cafeterias: a natural experiment.
Calorie labelling
Energy
Food
Policy
Worksite cafeterias
Journal
BMC nutrition
ISSN: 2055-0928
Titre abrégé: BMC Nutr
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101672434
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
13 Aug 2024
13 Aug 2024
Historique:
received:
25
03
2024
accepted:
19
07
2024
medline:
14
8
2024
pubmed:
14
8
2024
entrez:
13
8
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
On 6 April 2022, legislation came into effect in England requiring calorie labels to be applied to food items on menus of larger food businesses. This study aimed to assess the impact of calorie labelling on (a) food purchased and (b) energy content of menu options in worksite cafeterias. Product-level sales data and energy content of available items was obtained from 142 worksite cafeterias from January 2022-October 2022. Interrupted-time-series (ITS) analysis with level and slope change evaluated daily energy (kcal) purchased per item, and ITS with level change assessed mean energy per option available on menus before and after calorie labelling. Each analysis was conducted 6 weeks and 6 months from implementation. A post-hoc ITS examined weekly energy purchased per item over a longer period (March 2021-October 2022; 135 sites). There was no evidence calorie labelling changed the energy content of foods purchased (6-week: + 0.60 cal/product, 95%CI:-2.54, + 3.75; 6-month: + 1.59 cal/product, 95%CI:-0.96, + 4.16). Post-hoc analyses suggested calorie labels were associated with a reduction in mean energy of items purchased over time (-0.65 kcal/week, 95%CI:-0.81,-0.49), but a significant increase (+ 3 kcal, 95%CI: + 0.43, + 5.60) at the point of implementation. There was a reduction in the mean energy content of menu options at each seasonal menu change (April 2022:-1.79 kcal, 95%CI:-3.42,-0.15; July 2022:-4.18 kcal, 95% CI:-7.65,-0.73). This large observational study in worksite cafeterias found no evidence to indicate the introduction of calorie labelling led to any immediate reduction in energy purchased by customers. There was some evidence of increasing impact over time, possibly associated with changes in menu offerings, but this effect was small and cannot be directly attributed to calorie labelling.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
On 6 April 2022, legislation came into effect in England requiring calorie labels to be applied to food items on menus of larger food businesses. This study aimed to assess the impact of calorie labelling on (a) food purchased and (b) energy content of menu options in worksite cafeterias.
METHODS
METHODS
Product-level sales data and energy content of available items was obtained from 142 worksite cafeterias from January 2022-October 2022. Interrupted-time-series (ITS) analysis with level and slope change evaluated daily energy (kcal) purchased per item, and ITS with level change assessed mean energy per option available on menus before and after calorie labelling. Each analysis was conducted 6 weeks and 6 months from implementation. A post-hoc ITS examined weekly energy purchased per item over a longer period (March 2021-October 2022; 135 sites).
RESULTS
RESULTS
There was no evidence calorie labelling changed the energy content of foods purchased (6-week: + 0.60 cal/product, 95%CI:-2.54, + 3.75; 6-month: + 1.59 cal/product, 95%CI:-0.96, + 4.16). Post-hoc analyses suggested calorie labels were associated with a reduction in mean energy of items purchased over time (-0.65 kcal/week, 95%CI:-0.81,-0.49), but a significant increase (+ 3 kcal, 95%CI: + 0.43, + 5.60) at the point of implementation. There was a reduction in the mean energy content of menu options at each seasonal menu change (April 2022:-1.79 kcal, 95%CI:-3.42,-0.15; July 2022:-4.18 kcal, 95% CI:-7.65,-0.73).
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
This large observational study in worksite cafeterias found no evidence to indicate the introduction of calorie labelling led to any immediate reduction in energy purchased by customers. There was some evidence of increasing impact over time, possibly associated with changes in menu offerings, but this effect was small and cannot be directly attributed to calorie labelling.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39138549
doi: 10.1186/s40795-024-00914-1
pii: 10.1186/s40795-024-00914-1
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
110Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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