Fast food alert for restaurants

FAST food restaurants across Bahrain have been asked to advertise the nutritional values of their food so customers know exactly what they are eating.

They have been told to display nutritional value charts in prominent locations in the restaurants, Health Ministry public health director Dr Khairya Moosa told the GDN yesterday.

"While some of the restaurants are doing this already, many are not following these verbal guidelines we set up years ago," Dr Moosa said.

"We want all the restaurants to implement the guidelines in an effort to let people know what they are eating so that they know the calories they are taking in."

Dr Moosa's comments followed a meeting with fast food restaurant representatives at the Public Health Directorate in Salmaniya.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Jawad Group, McDonald's, Americana, Little Caesar, Speeza, Pizza Hut, Al Abraaj, Yum Yum Tree and Jasmis.

She said the main aim was to tackle obesity.

"This problem and that of people being overweight has led to a higher percentage of non-communicable chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes and has raised the mortality from cardiovascular diseases, which is in any case considered a killer."

However, health chiefs also want the public to take a greater interest in the food they consume.

"The ministry has told restaurants to show the nutritional facts of meals offered by them by displaying the total calories and the amount of fat (saturated and trans fat), sugar, salt and other information according to the international recommendations," added Dr Moosa.

Nutrition section head Dr Nadia Gharib also demonstrated how the information should be integrated into food menus of fast food restaurants.

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