‘I think from my experience, it’s a negative thing for most people’: Exploring the perspectives of young British women opposed to the calories on menus policy in the UK

The compulsory inclusion of calorie information on menus has been health policy in the UK since 2022. Public opinion on the policy varies, with young women particularly likely to oppose and express concerns. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of young women with a negative opinion of the policy. Eight White British women (18-25 years) volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions and experiences with calories on menus. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis developed three themes: (1) viewing calories fed their own unhealthy relationship with food; (2) calories don't tell you everything that matters about food; (3) negative emotional reactions are shaped by society's encouragement of the thin ideal. The women's negative opinions on the policy appeared heavily grounded in, and indicative of, their own negative emotional responses to viewing calorie information. They linked these responses to sociocultural meanings and ideals related to thinness, food choice and dieting.