FSA reveals calorie intake confusion in Northern Ireland

According to a new survey published by the Food Standards Agency, only 15% of men in Northern Ireland know their daily calorie intake compared to 44% of women.

To help tackle this, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland is launching a new campaign, ‘Know Your Calories’, to raise public awareness of the daily calorie recommendation of 2,500kcal for men and 2,000kcal for women.

While the amount of calories can vary based on a variety of factors like age and amount of daily activity, the general guide is 2,000kcal per day for women and 2,500kcal per day for men.

Running throughout March, the ‘Know Your Calories’ campaign will help people to become aware of their recommended daily calorie intake and check calorie content on food labels on packaged foods and on menus when eating out.

Maria Jennings, director, FSA in NI, says, “Our research tells us that many people are unaware of what the recommended daily calorie intake is and they are confused about where to check for calorie information. We also know that only half (49%) of adults in Northern Ireland have seen calorie information at restaurants and cafes.

“This campaign will help people understand how many calories they should eat a day and where to find calorie information on food labels and menus when eating out. We want to help people make better choices when it comes to living a healthy, balanced lifestyle.”

In addition to making the public aware of how many calories men and women should consume, the campaign will also communicate the health implications of regularly consuming too many calories.

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