Data and healthy living converge

Caloric information will soon be on the menu around Dubai. That is good news for all of us

Starbucks customers in Dubai will soon have caloric information for their beverages. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Without doubt, data has become a critical part of a healthy lifestyle for people around the world. Thanks to the explosion of activity trackers and smartphones that collect all types of health information – from our sleep patterns to how many steps we take in a single day – more people than ever are paying close attention to their bodies. The nutritional and calorie content of our food is an integral part of this healthy living revolution.

Therefore, it is welcome news that Dubai authorities are taking steps to incorporate food-labelling rules for restaurants. Under the new rules, all establishments will have to declare the amount of calories in the food they serve. While this will pose an initial challenge to local establishments, international chains that have outlets in Dubai should be able to produce the information with ease. That is because many places, especially in the West, have already taken similar steps requiring restaurants to make calorie information available to customers.

Calorie information is not a one-stop solution for healthy living but a part of a holistic approach to understanding how what we eat affects our body. The more information we have about our food, the better the decisions we can make about what we eat. This is not to say that people should change their diets tomorrow but when we know what is inside our food, we can make the right decisions about what we choose. That sugary coffee drink might become less appealing when you see that it accounts for half of the daily calories a healthy person should be eating.

With the smartphone in your pocket and applications that can evaluate your optimal diet, the appearance of calorie information will be a major help (and incentive) for those that have committed to a healthy lifestyle. As more people become aware of how food affects healthier lifestyles through reading calorie information, there will be an opportunity for restaurants to provide healthy alternatives. There is no downside to Dubai’s decision to embrace calorie information.