A test in English secondary schools of alternative food labeling – which showed the number of thin physical activity needed to burn calories – reduced the purchase of sugar food by a small amount, according to new research.
The study was conducted by Dr. Natalia Iris and Professor Amanda Daley, who are part of the Lought University Medical and Behavior Center.
It analyzes nearly 100,000 cakes and biscuits from 11 school canteens for a period of six weeks. Six schools used food labeling for physical exercise (PACE) in their sweet delicacies and five schools continued with their usual practice.
PACE food labeling aims to show how many minutes or miles of physical activity are needed to burn calories in a particular food or drink. For example, consuming 230 calories in a small chocolate bar would require about 46 minutes walking or 23 minutes from running to burn these calories.
The analysis of school canteen data found a reduction in cakes and biscuits in intervention schools against comparisons of about 11 items per week per 100 students.
Speaking about the findings, Dr. Natalia Iris said: “While the rhythm labeling appeared to reduce the market of these sweet delights only with a small amount, the study shows that this type of food labeling can be a useful approach to decrease.
“The implementation of the rate labeling has been possible for some schools, but others had concerns about the adverse effects this type of labeling may have on students’ welfare.
Evidence shows that even a relatively small decrease in daily calorie intake (100 calories) combined with a prolonged increase in physical activity is likely to be good for health and could help limit obesity to the population level. Highlighting the rhythm can help people of all ages achieve this. ”
Professor Amanda Daley, Loughborough University
The paper, Physical Calories Equivalent (PACE) Food Label in distinctive food in secondary education in England: A complex of effectiveness randomized controlled testIt has been published in the International Magazine of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Source:
Magazine report:
Iris, N., et al. (2025). Physical activity or PACE foods on distinctive foods in secondary school canteens in England: A Complex of Efficiency Randomized Controlled Test. International Nutrition and Physical Behavior Magazine. Doi.org/10.1186/S12966-025-01710-1
