Honey, I supersized the kids

‘Study: Restaurant kids’ meals loaded with calories’-The Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, 4/08/08

I missed out on the printed version of this article and only knew about it through the website. Oh well.

The article discussed a report that said it’s difficult to find healthy kid’s meals at top restaurant chains.

 

UNSURPRISINGLY, according to a report by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, nearly every possible combination of the children’s meals at Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Sonic, Jack in the Box, and Chil-fil-A are too high in calories.

The report looked into the nutritional quality of kids’ meals at 13 major restaurant chains, and found that 93% of 1,474 possible choices at the chains exceed 430 calories- 1/3 of the daily calorie intake the National Institute of Medicine recommends for a 4-8 year old child.

Subway, the only chain that didn’t offer soft drinks with kid’s meals in the report, came out best among the chains. 6 of 18 ‘Fresh Fit for Kids’ meals, which include a mini-sub, juice box, and one of several healthful side items such as apple slices, raisins or yogurt, exceed the 430-calorie mark.

The report also said that eating out now accounts for a third of children’s daily caloric intake, which is double the frequency 30 years ago.

It also found that 45% of children’s meals are above the recommendations for saturated and trans fat (which can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease), and 86% of children’s meals are high in sodium.

 

First of all, you wouldn’t take you child there in the first place if you want them to eat healthily.

The article wasn’t surprising, but what did raise my eyebrows were the figures found in the report, which were higher than one realised. 93% of kid’s meals exceed the recommended daily calorie intake…you might as well think all kid’s meals exceed it.

Restaurants should take responsibility of what they serve, but it’s the customer who orders it. Parents should be more careful of where and what they eat.

Perhaps in America it is even more common to eat out than in the UK and it’s difficult to find a family-friendly restaurant without the burgers and sodas. Not just the meal’s nutritional content, but I think the portion size also contributes to the calorie count. From my own experience, I know how big a regular slice of pizza can be over there.

And I guess it’s difficult to find something healthy that your child would like to eat.

Ever since (especially since), Morgan Spurlock’s famous documentary was made, restaurants (especially fast food chains) have been pressurised to offer healthier menus. The impact of the documentary was great, but after reading this article, I feel that there is still a lot of improvement that can be made.

Does everything need to be healthy? The odd fast-food won’t hurt, but eating it everyday would be a concern.

I don’t think you will see a day where every menu at every restaurant is healthy, nor a day where you can’t find a restaurant that doesn’t sell burgers and chips. Besides, how healthy is healthy?

With in-depth figures, details of the report, quotes and statements from the restaurants, I guess the article was written to be a wake-up call to parents.

 

Reducing the country’s saturated fat intake

‘Update on saturated fat work’- Food Standards Agency 15/07/2008

The Food Standards Agency informed key industry stakeholders on work to reduce the intake of saturated fat of the UK population (which currently is on average 20% above the Government recommendations).

The work proposes the reformulation of foods that contribute the most saturated fat to the diet, and reconsideration of portion size.

Development of a public health campaign to raise awareness of the health implications of eating too much saturated fat, and also gives people practical tips on how to choose a diet lower in saturated fat was also discussed.

‘Agency advice has always been that we can enjoy a balanced diet, as promoted by our eatwell plate. This does not mean cutting out any foods from our diet completely but being aware that we should eat some foods in moderation. The scientific evidence is clear – a diet too high in saturated fat is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and so it’s crucial we both encourage industry to reformulate where possible and offer practical advice to the public so we can all choose a healthier diet.’- Corinne Vaughan, Deputy Head of Nutrition, Food Standards Agency.

Foods that contribute the most saturated to UK diets are:

• biscuits and cakes
• confectionery
• dairy products
• fat spreads
• meat and meat products
• snack-type products and crisps

This article gives a strong message promoting what the Food Standards Agency is about (giving it identity and good impression). Unlike the proposal discussed in the previous post, this plan to reduce risks of heart disease is a more gradual and easily accepted by the public. On the other hand, the plan may not go so smoothly with industry workers.

I personally give it a big thumbs up for this strategy, I don’t see any reason why this isn’t a good idea. No harm seen in terms of public health.