Article content

TORONTO — A mental health advocate says Google made the right decision to shut down a calorie count feature in its map application that critics said could be damaging to users with eating disorders.

The tech company confirmed via email Tuesday that it disabled the function Monday night due to “strong user feedback.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Google Maps calorie feature yanked out of concern for users with eating disorders Back to video

Google’s experiment with presenting a calorie-burn estimate alongside walking directions drew widespread criticism on social media.

The experimental feature, which was rolled out globally, expressed calorie estimates in the form of mini cupcakes, according to a screenshots posted on Twitter. One mini cupcake was listed as equalling 110 calories.

Critics on social media complained the use of cupcakes seemed specifically targeted to women.

Mark Henick, national director of strategic initiatives at the Canadian Mental Health Association, said one of the biggest problems with the feature was that it couldn’t be turned off.