Nutrient quality of fast food kids meals

Exposure of children to kids meals at fast food restaurants is high; however, the nutrient quality of such meals has not been systematically assessed. We assessed the nutrient quality of fast food meals marketed to young children, ie, "kids meals." The nutrient quality of kids meals was as...

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Published in:The American journal of clinical nutrition 2008-11, Vol.88 (5), p.1388-1395
Main Authors: O'DONNELL, Sharon I, HOERR, Sharon L, MENDOZA, Jason A, TSUEI GOH, Eugenia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Child, Preschool
Children & youth
Dietary Fats - administration & dosage
Dietetics
Energy Intake - physiology
Fast food
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Food Analysis - methods
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health
Humans
Male
Nutrition
Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Policy
Nutrition Surveys
Nutritional Status
Nutritive Value
Obesity - epidemiology
Obesity - etiology
Public Health
Restaurants
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
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Summary:Exposure of children to kids meals at fast food restaurants is high; however, the nutrient quality of such meals has not been systematically assessed. We assessed the nutrient quality of fast food meals marketed to young children, ie, "kids meals." The nutrient quality of kids meals was assessed primarily by using criteria from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Analysis compared the nutrient values of meals offered by major fast food companies with restaurants in Houston, TX, with complete publicly available data. Data described every combination of meals offered in the target market. For each meal combination, the following were analyzed: total energy, percentage of energy from fat, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, added sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, energy density (food only), and the number of NSLP nutrient criteria met. Three percent of kids meals met all NSLP criteria. Those that met all criteria offered a side of fruit plus milk. Most were deli-sandwich-based meals. Meals that met the criteria had about one-third the fat, one-sixth the added sugars, twice the iron, and 3 times the amount of vitamin A and calcium as did kids meals that did not meet the criteria (P
ISSN:0002-9165
1938-3207
DOI:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26197