Why women have no appetite for eating out: Counting calories is too hard... and dessert is too tempting

It should feel like a treat - the chance to escape both the chore of preparing a meal and the resulting washing up.

But many women have come to dread the prospect of dining at restaurants because they can't work out the calorie content of the food and end up eating more than they normally would.

Even if they opt for seemingly healthy dishes, they can never be sure how many grams of fat are in the salad dressing or whether the fish was coated in oil before being grilled.

Nearly half of women admit to feeling guilty after going to a restaurant while a quarter try to avoid it altogether, a survey has found.

Almost two-thirds fear that despite their best efforts, they will ultimately succumb to the calorie-laden options on the menu - such as sticky toffee puddings or strawberry cheesecakes.

And a third worry they will end up eating far more than they do at home because the portions are so much larger, the survey by Alli, the slimming pill firm found. Many will eat more than twice as many calories by choosing a starter, main, and dessert plus several glasses of wine. And by including coffee in this, women could consume more than 2,000 calories - the recommended daily allowance. 

 

By comparison, a portion of home-made lasagne or spaghetti bolognese will contain around 700 calories - a third of that often eaten at a restaurant.

Three out of ten say they are very concerned by the lack of nutritional information on the menu, which very few restaurants display.

Half of the 2,000 women quizzed admit if they do end up eating out one night, they will try to make up for it by cutting down on the calories for the rest of the week.

Chinese and Indian restaurants are particularly dreaded, with half saying they would refuse to eat the food for fear of its high fat content.

Up to seven out of ten do not eat fish and chips - either as a takeaway or during a meal out - as they regard it as extremely unhealthy.

Dr Dawn Harper, a GP in Gloucester, said: 'When you cook at home it's a lot easier to control the fat and calorie content. Eating with friends should be an enjoyable experience, not something you dread.'

Mail Online