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Kids’ Menu Items Often Include Excess Calories; Experts Say Changes May Help
Moast kids’ menu items at the top 200 U.S. resturant chains exceed the calorie counts recommended by nutrition experts. The restaurant industry can embrace calorie guidelines to promote children’s health and reduce childhood obesity. Skip to page content; Toggle menu.
Improving Children’s Menus in community Restaurants: Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (best Food FITS)
Approximately 32% of US children are overweight or obese. Restaurant and fast food meals contribute 18% of daily calories for children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years. Changing children’s menus may improve their diets. This case study describes Best food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS), a community-based intervention designed to address childhood obesity.
US restaurant sector can promote healthy food environments to reduce obesity
Obesity- and diet-related noncommunicable disease rates are increasing among older American children, teens, and adults and in other countries worldwide where US-headquartered restaurants operate profitable franchise businesses. Given the current administration’s deregulatory governance approach, the restaurant industry has an prospect to promote healthier food environments. The study found that the position intervention had the biggest impact on main course choices, reducing calories from 1104.17 kcal to 1045.16 kcal. The availability intervention had the most impact on starter choices. None of the interventions had a notable impact on dessert choices.
Dr Edwards concluded: “Main menu choices saw the biggest reduction in calories following the position intervention, going from 1104.17 kcal to 1045.16 kcal, while the availability intervention saw the biggest reduction in the starter option. While not all interventions saw statistically significant reductions for all courses, each intervention saw a significant reduction in the calorie content of the overall meals.”
Dr James Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Aston University, said: “People tend to consume higher calorie meals when they eat out, so restaurants provide an vital location for implementing low-cost and high-reach interventions which can encourage healthier eating in teenagers. Many restaurants are already required to display calorie information on their menus,but our research has shown that tactics like altering the position or availability of high calorie options on menus could also be a useful tool in trying to reduce obesity and help young people make healthier choices.the next step for this research would be to replicate the study in restaurant settings.”
Table of Contents
- Kids’ Menu Items: A Call for Healthier Choices
- Editor’s Questions and Guest’s Answers:
- Q: Can you tell us what the primary findings were regarding calories in kids’ menu items from the top 200 U.S. restaurant chains?
- Q: Why is it significant for restaurants to embrace calorie guidelines for kids’ menus specifically?
- Q: Can you elaborate on the community-based intervention known as “Best Food FITS”?
- Q: What steps are being taken to make significant improvements to children’s menus?
- Q: How can restaurants leverage their current requirements to display calorie data to further this cause?
- Q: What are the next steps for this research?
- Summary:
- Editor’s Questions and Guest’s Answers:
Editor’s Questions and Guest’s Answers:
Sure. The research indicates that most kids’ menu items at these top restaurant chains exceed the calorie counts recommended by nutrition experts. This excess calorie intake is concerning because it contributes to the growing problem of childhood obesity.
The restaurant industry has a significant influence on children’s dietary habits. By adopting calorie guidelines, they can play a crucial role in promoting healthier eating habits and could possibly reduce the rates of childhood obesity.
Q: Can you elaborate on the community-based intervention known as “Best Food FITS”?
“Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS)” is a case study focusing on changing children’s menus to improve diets.it aims to address childhood obesity within communities where restaurant and fast food meals are common sources of daily calories.
Steps include adhering to calorie guidelines and implementing strategies like altering the position or availability of high-calorie options on menus. These changes can help reduce obesity and encourage healthier choices among children and young people.
Q: How can restaurants leverage their current requirements to display calorie data to further this cause?
While many restaurants are already required to display calorie information on their menus, additional tactics such as altering the menu design can be effective. As a notable example, repositioning healthier options to make them more visible could influence healthier choices.
Q: What are the next steps for this research?
The next phase involves replicating the study in actual restaurant settings.This will provide more incisive data on the real-world impact of menu modifications promoting healthier eating among young people.
Summary:
The article and accompanying interview highlight troubling statistics regarding excess calories in kids’ menu items and the need for the restaurant industry to take proactive steps in promoting healthier choices. The key takeaway is the potential for significant dietary improvements thru simple yet impactful changes, such as adhering to calorie guidelines and modifying menu design. These efforts can contribute towards reducing childhood obesity and fostering better eating habits among children.
