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Does looking at calories make you eat less? Here's what Abu Dhabi study found
Research behind the emirate's Nutri-Mark grades and Healthy Living drive reveals how small nudges are quietly reshaping what residents put in their trolleys
- PUBLISHED: Fri 10 Jul 2026, 11:02 AM UPDATED: Fri 10 Jul 2026, 11:13 AM
Diners in Abu Dhabi ordered an average of 114 fewer calories per meal when menus displayed calorie counts alongside nutritional information, according to research involving 5,002 UAE residents, with 94 per cent of participants supporting the introduction of calorie labelling on menus.
The findings were revealed as Healthy Living, the Abu Dhabi government's prevention-focused movement under the Department of Health, announced a strengthened partnership with the UAE's Behavioural Science Group (BSG), the federal behavioural science unit based within the Office of Development Affairs.
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The collaboration places behavioural science at the centre of the emirate's push to make healthier choices the easy, default option for residents, from how supermarket shelves are arranged to what appears on food packaging.
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The science behind grocery labels
BSG's work supported the development of Nutri-Mark, the front-of-pack nutrition grading label launched by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. The system grades packaged foods from A, the highest nutritional value, to E, the lowest, allowing shoppers to compare products within the same category at a glance.
Before the labels reached supermarket shelves, they were put to the test in BSG's simulated online supermarket. The study, involving 2,733 UAE residents, found that product placement and clear labelling significantly influenced purchasing behaviour, particularly for staple items such as bread, where shoppers more frequently reached for healthier options.
Complementary research with 4,000 UAE residents showed that nutritional labelling improves consumer understanding, increases the intention to choose healthier products, and generates positive sentiment. The same research, however, flagged persistent misconceptions around dietary balance, underlining the need for continued public awareness efforts.
'One-size-fits-all rarely delivers'
His Excellency Dr Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director of Healthy Living at the Department of Health, said lasting behaviour change begins with understanding how people actually live.
"One-size-fits-all approaches rarely deliver lasting impact. They don't reflect the different ways people live their lives or the unique realities they navigate every day," he said. "Meaningful and sustainable behavioural change starts with listening, understanding the choices people face, and the environments that shape those choices."
He added that the collaboration with BSG helps the movement understand communities' needs and identify gaps in services, ensuring interventions are "targeted, effective, and focused on where they can achieve the greatest and most lasting impact for generations to come."
Rasha Attar, director of BSG at the Office of Development Affairs, said Healthy Living has taken an evidence-led approach since its inception. She noted the collaboration is building locally grounded insights that inform decision-making and contribute to the growing international evidence base for behavioural science in policy.
The two entities said they will continue applying behavioural science to shape policy, strengthen research, and deliver interventions that make healthier choices easier and more natural in everyday life, with insights expected to inform similar initiatives across the UAE.
Emirati Journalist