These days, it's not a question of whether we count the calories we consume or steps we take, but how we do it. As The National reported yesterday, food and health authorities have joined to produce a guide that will show people how much food is too much. The "food atlas" lists different meals and includes pictures of eight different portions, so those reading it can identify how much they have eaten. They can then find out the nutritional value of the food they've consumed.
While it may seem like a great thing that we do not have to think so hard about what we eat or how much we exercise (thanks to technology and “portion-control cards”), we may be unwittingly doing ourselves a disservice by relying too heavily on data points. For example, even if we eat the smallest portion of biryani, it is impossible to properly know how many calories it might have.
Unfortunately, we all seem to be looking for such simple solutions. Instead, common sense should tell us what and how much to eat and when to stop.
