Calorie labels on restaurant menus are negatively impacting people with eating disorders, according to a study published in BMJ Public Health.

The review, led by researchers at King’s College London, found that those diagnosed with an eating disorder changed their behaviours if presented with a menu featuring calorie labels.

This included avoiding restaurants, triggering eating disorder thoughts and paying more attention to calorie labels as identified by eye tracking research. It was found that some people with eating disorders reported that seeing menu labels reinforced their eating disorder beliefs.

The study found that people with eating disorders can feel that they are perceived as less important in the light of obesity prevention policies. 

Evaluating existing research to establish how nutritional labels on menus impact those with eating disorders or disordered eating, the study reviewed 16 studies which included 8,074 participants in total.