UK researchers said that packaging displaying how much exercise is needed to burn off the calories contained in food is effective in fighting obesity.
The researchers claimed that labels indicating the amount of exercise needed to burn off the calories in a product would help people indulge less and create an awareness of the energy cost of food.
According to the researchers from Loughborough University, the objective is to encourage healthier eating habits to combat obesity. They examined 14 studies and found that this type of labeling could reduce about 200 calories from a person's daily average intake.
Lead researcher Professor Amanda Daley said: "We are interested in different ways of getting the public to make good decisions about what they eat and also trying to get the public more physically active."
Prof. Daley pointed out that labeling food with "exercise calories" made it easier for people to understand what they were eating and allows them to make better choices. She added that many people would be surprised by how much physical exercise would be required to burn off calories from certain snacks and treats.
She said: "We know that the public routinely underestimate the number of calories that are in foods. So if you buy a chocolate muffin and it contains 500 calories, for example, then that's about 50 minutes of running."
"This definitely isn't about dieting. It's about educating the public that when you consume foods, there is an energy cost, so that they can think, 'Do I really want to spend two hours burning off that chocolate cake? Is the chocolate cake really worth it?'" she argued.
The Royal Society for Public Health said: "This type of labeling really does put an individual's calorie consumption in the context of energy expenditure and knowing how out of kilter we can be partly explains the record levels of obesity we face. Small changes can make a big overall difference to calorie consumption, and ultimately weight gain."
