GUELPH — Prominently displaying calorie counts on signs and menus may be dangerous for people with an eating disorder, an advocate warns.

"A lot of people with eating disorders can get very fixated on certain numbers," said Andrea LaMarre, co-chair of the Waterloo-Wellington Eating Disorders Coalition and a University of Guelph PhD student.

Starting on Jan. 1, the Healthy Menu Choices Act required restaurants with 20 or more locations in Ontario to openly display calorie counts for all menu items. Calories must be next to the name or price in at least the same size print.

"It's not like you can not look at it if it's right next to the price," said LaMarre, who launched an online petition to have the legislation repealed after being approached by several people with an eating disorder who were concerned.

LaMarre worries about what effects the new rules will have on people with an eating disorder or those trying to recover, who are making an effort to not focus on calories.

"They're actually working to try and stop that," LaMarre said.

The legislation's goal is to help people make healthier food and beverage choices when dining out, but LaMarre said it's dubious that will happen.

She looked at the research and found evidence is lacking on how effective it will be in encouraging healthier food choices.

However, she says "it does have a negative impact on people who are trying to recover."

After seeing the calorie count in print, people with eating disorders may change their food choice, opting for a lower-calorie dish that doesn't help with recovery. Or they may order it anyway and then overcompensate later with more exercising, purging or food restriction. Even if they don't compensate, guilty feelings will linger.