Kids' Meals Contribute to Childhood Obesity
Fast Foods Fail to Meet Dietary Guidelines for Children
Dec 26, 2008
Conducted by a team of researchers from Michigan State University and Baylor College of Medicine, the study assessed the nutritional quality of kids' meals in the Houston market, which includes 12 of the 13 national and regional fast-food companies, or 477 restaurants that sell kids' meals.
The team assessed the quality of kids' meals in the fourth-largest U.S. city according to nutrient guidelines provided by the major fast-food companies and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The researchers used additional dietary guidelines for sodium, fiber, added sugar, and trans fat.
Basic Findings
The 3 percent of meals that did meet dietary guidelines included fruit and milk; nearly all were deli-sandwich meals. They also contained about one-third the fat, one-sixth the added sugars, twice the iron, and three times the amount of vitamin A and calcium as the meals that failed to meet the guidelines.
Of the meals that did not meet the guidelines, more than 65 percent failed in their total fat. Moreover, 75 percent were deficient in calcium, 82 percent in iron, and 85 percent in vitamin A.
What Now?
The researchers believe their findings, combined with the amount of food consumed away from home, helps explain the increased prevalence of childhood obesity.
But with busy schedules, most parents have to rely on at least an occasional fast-food run for their kids.
When visiting fast-food restaurants, parents should carefully read the nutrition information to find the healthiest choices for their children. Besides menu choices, parents can keep their children's sodium, added sugars, and fat levels low by monitoring the amount of dipping sauces and other condiments used.
Also, the choice of main entree was found not to influence the nutritional value of typical meals. Side choices made the largest difference in nutrients between meals. With their high iron levels, raisins made the healthiest contribution to kid's meals.
The Good News
While the small percentage of meals that meet the study's guidelines can be discouraging, it can also be interpreted as the beginning of a health-conscious trend, since none of the studied meals were required to meet any of the NSLP's guidelines. Still, 42 percent of all the meals in the study met four or more of the criteria used.
The study cites market forces and public awareness, more and more fast-food restaurants are considering the nutritional quality of their foods.
Through continued public-policy efforts and healthy purchasing choices, the researchers believe that parents, consumer groups, and public health professionals can deliver a strong message to the fast-food giants to slim down their menus.
Journal Reference
"Nutrient Quality of Fast Food Kids Meals." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 88: 1388-1395.
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