Dataset Information

Nutritional quality of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To evaluate the nutritional quality, particularly the fat and salt contents, of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.

Design

A web-based content analysis was conducted to evaluate the type of restaurant, type of meal, incentives, health claims and nutrition data of kids' meals. The nutritional appropriateness of kids' meals was assessed with the Standard for the School Lunch Program, which regulates energy (≤2218 kJ), protein (20-30 g), fat (≤30 % of energy (E%)) and salt (<2 g) contents of the school lunch in Japan. Linear mixed models were employed for evaluating the relationship between the characteristics of kids' meals and their fat (E%) or salt (g) content.

Setting

Restaurant websites providing nutritional data of kids' meals in Japan.

Subjects

A total of 438 kids' meals offered by forty-two chain restaurant brands from across twenty food-service companies.

Results

Overall, 58·9, 40·6 and 34·5 % of the kids' meals were determined to be appropriate regarding their energy (≤2218 kJ), fat (≤30 E%) and salt content (<2 g). In addition, 15·5 % of kids' meals met the multiple standards of energy, fat and salt contents. 'Japanese-style' (restaurant-level characteristic) was associated with a decrease in the fat E% of kids' meals (β=-6·2; 95 % CI -11·0, -1·4) and an increase in the salt content (β=0·7; 95 % CI 0·06, 1·3).

Conclusions

The characteristics of the restaurant-served kids' meals in Japan were high fat E% and high salt content from different cultural contexts of the Western and the Japanese diet.

SUBMITTER: Uechi K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10260827 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Nutritional quality of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.

Uechi Ken K

Public health nutrition 20180815 17

<h4>Objective</h4>To evaluate the nutritional quality, particularly the fat and salt contents, of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.<h4>Design</h4>A web-based content analysis was conducted to evaluate the type of restaurant, type of meal, incentives, health claims and nutrition data of kids' meals. The nutritional appropriateness of kids' meals was assessed with the Standard for the School Lunch Program, which regulates energy (≤2218 kJ), protein (20-30 g), f ...[more]

PMID: 30109837

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundMeals from full-service restaurants (FS) and fast-food restaurants (FF) are an integral part of US diets, but current levels and trends in consumption, healthfulness, and related sociodemographic disparities are not well characterized.ObjectivesWe aimed to assess patterns and nutritional quality (using validated American Heart Association [AHA] diet scores) of FS and FF meals consumed by US adults.MethodsSerial cross-sectional investigation utilizing 24-h dietary recalls in survey-weighted, nationally representative samples of 35,015 adults aged ≥20 y from 7 NHANES cycles, 2003-2016.ResultsBetween 2003 and 2016, American adults consumed ∼21 percent of energyfrom restaurants (FS: 8.5% in 2003-2004, 9.5% in 2015-2016, P-trend = 0.38; FF: 10.5%; 13.4%, P-trend = 0.31). Over this period, more FF meals were eaten for breakfast (from 4.4% to 7.6% of all breakfasts, P-trend <0.001), with no changes for lunch (15.2% to 15.3%) or dinner (14.6% to 14.4%). In 2015-2016, diet quality of both FS and FF were low, with mean AHA diet scores of 31.6 and 27.6 (out of 80). Between 2003 and 2016, diet quality of FF meals improved slightly, (the percentage with poor quality went from 74.6% to 69.8%; and with intermediate quality, from 25.4% to 30.2%; P-trend <0.001 each). Proportions of FS meals of poor (∼50%) and intermediate (∼50%) quality were stable over time, with <0.1% of consumed FS or FF meals meeting ideal quality. Disparities in FS meal quality persisted by race/ethnicity, obesity status, and education and worsened by income; whereas disparities in FF meal quality persisted by age, sex, and obesity status and worsened by race/ethnicity, education, and income.ConclusionsBetween 2003 and 2016, FF and FS meals provided 1 in 5 calories for US adults. Modest improvements occurred in nutritional quality of FF, but not FS, meals consumed, and the average quality for both remained low with persistent or widening disparities. These findings highlight the need for strategies to improve the nutritional quality of US restaurant meals.

Project description:ObjectiveTo understand price incentives to upsize combination meals at fast-food restaurants by comparing the calories (i.e. kilocalories; 1 kcal = 4·184 kJ) per dollar of default combination meals (as advertised on the menu) with a higher-calorie version (created using realistic consumer additions and portion-size changes).DesignCombination meals (lunch/dinner: n 258, breakfast: n 68, children's: n 34) and their prices were identified from online menus; corresponding nutrition information for each menu item was obtained from a restaurant nutrition database (MenuStat). Linear models were used to examine the difference in total calories per dollar between default and higher-calorie combination meals, overall and by restaurant.SettingTen large fast-food chain restaurants located in the fifteen most populous US cities in 2017-2018.ParticipantsNone.ResultsThere were significantly more calories per dollar in higher-calorie v. default combination meals for lunch/dinner (default: 577 kJ (138 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 707 kJ (169 kcal)/dollar, difference: 130 kJ (31 kcal)/dollar, P < 0·001) and breakfast (default: 536 kJ (128 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 607 kJ (145 kcal)/dollar, difference: 71 kJ (17 kcal)/dollar, P = 0·009). Results for children's meals were in the same direction but were not statistically significant (default: 536 kJ (128 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 741 kJ (177 kcal)/dollar, difference: 205 kJ (49 kcal)/dollar, P = 0·053). Across restaurants, the percentage change in calories per dollar for higher-calorie v. default combination meals ranged from 0·1 % (Dunkin' Donuts) to 55·0 % (Subway).ConclusionsHigher-calorie combination meals in fast-food restaurants offer significantly more calories per dollar compared with default combination meals, suggesting there is a strong financial incentive for consumers to 'upsize' their orders. Future research should test price incentives for lower-calorie options to promote healthier restaurant choices.

Dataset Information

Nutritional quality of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.

Objective

Design

Setting

Subjects

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Nutritional quality of meals offered to children (kids' meals) at chain restaurants in Japan.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets