Examining use of restaurant nutrition information among adults living in England engaged in disordered eating or weight management efforts

Calorie labels on menus are a popular policy initiative to help consumers to reduce their energy intake. Consumers trying to improve their diet may benefit from the labels if they help inform eating decisions. However, it is not well known how some groups, such as those with disordered eating, may view a calorie labelling policy and engage with nutritional labels in England. Using 2021 International Food Policy Study data from 2,898 adults in England, we assessed policy support for menu labels, participants’ noticing and influence of nutrition information, and behavioural impacts based on nutrition information labelling at restaurants. Using logistic regression models, we explored whether there were differences in responses between participants engaged in disordered eating or weight management efforts compared to those who engaged in neither. A majority (56.9%) of participants supported a calorie labelling policy. People reporting disordered eating behaviours had greater odds of noticing, being influenced by, and changing behaviour because of nutritional information compared with participants not engaging in disordered eating or weight management. Participants with a preoccupation with thinness had greater odds of supporting calorie labelling, whereas those engaging in binge eating did not differ in odds and those reporting self-induced vomiting had lower odds of supporting the policy. Compared to the reference group, weight loss and weight maintenance groups had greater odds of being influenced by nutrition information and of eating out less often. Of the weight management groups, only participants reporting weight loss efforts had greater odds of ordering something different and of supporting a calorie labelling policy. As one of the first quantitative studies in England to examine engagement with restaurant nutrition information among adults with disordered eating and weight management efforts, this study indicates that nutrition information had differential impacts among those with disordered eating or engaging in weight management. England implemented a mandatory calorie labelling policy for the out-of-home food sector after the current data were collected; future studies should examine how the policy influences eating decisions and consider potential impacts on people with disordered eating.