DOH backs QC rule requiring food calorie count on restaurant menu

The Quezon City council passes an ordinance, compelling restaurants, fast food chains, and other food establishments operating in the city to publish the number of calories contained in each serving of food listed on their menu. Stock image/INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DOH) is supporting a Quezon City ordinance that requires restaurants to indicate food calorie counts on their menus.

The DOH said such a rule would help the public make “informed and healthy choices” regarding the food they consume.

The Quezon City council has passed the ordinance, compelling restaurants, fast food chains, and other food establishments operating in the city to publish the number of calories contained in each serving of food listed on their menu. It now awaits the signature of Mayor Joy Belmonte for it to become official and enforceable.

READ: QC may soon require restaurants to show food calorie count on menus

“The DOH supports the ordinance of the Quezon City local government that requires restaurants to display the number of calories that their food contains. This will enable Filipinos to make informed and healthy choices on what to eat,” it said in a statement Thursday.

“The Department encourages Filipinos to eat a balanced, well-moderated, and varied diet. Limit processed foods and foods that are high in calories. Opt for healthier choices, partnered with sufficient physical activity,” it added.

READ: House bill wants restaurants to do calorie count

The DOH reminded the public that excess calories could cause obesity, which leads to non-communicable diseases like heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.

In May 2022, public interest law group ImagineLaw signed an agreement with the Quezon City government for the exploration of mechanisms to require calorie labeling of food in businesses serving food and drinks.

At the House of Representatives, a bill was filed in 2020 to promote healthy diets by requiring restaurants to add nutrition information to their menus or menu boards.

While food labels are becoming mainstream in developed parts of the world, Filipinos “are not as informed when dining in restaurants,” according to bill’s author.

A similar bill was likewise filed before the Senate in 2022, with its author stressing that the country has the responsibility of ensuring public health.

The senator cited data from the United Nations Children’s Fund, which stated that obesity affects 800 million people worldwide “and has emerged as a major risk factor for severe disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.”