Background
Supply-side reductions to the calories in chain restaurants are a possible benefit
of upcoming menu labeling requirements.
Purpose
To describe trends in calories available in large U.S. restaurants.
Methods
Data were obtained from the MenuStat project, a census of menu items in 66 of the
100 largest U.S. restaurant chains, for 2012 and 2013 (N=19,417 items). Generalized
linear models were used to calculate (1) the mean change in calories from 2012 to
2013, among items on the menu in both years; and (2) the difference in mean calories,
comparing newly introduced items to those on the menu in 2012 only (overall and between
core versus non-core items). Data were analyzed in 2014.
Results
Mean calories among items on menus in both 2012 and 2013 did not change. Large restaurant
chains in the U.S. have recently had overall declines in calories in newly introduced
menu items (–56 calories, 12% decline). These declines were concentrated mainly in
new main course items (–67 calories, 10% decline). New beverage (–26 calories, 8%
decline) and children’s (–46 calories, 20% decline) items also had fewer mean calories.
Among chain restaurants with a specific focus (e.g., burgers), average calories in
new menu items not core to the business declined more than calories in core menu items.
Conclusions
Large chain restaurants significantly reduced the number of calories in newly introduced
menu items. Supply-side changes to the calories in chain restaurants may have a significant
impact on obesity prevention.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 07, 2014
Identification
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© 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- Bleich SN, Wolfson JA, Jarlenski MP. Calorie Changes in Chain Restaurant Menu Items: Implications for Obesity and Evaluations of Menu Labeling. Am J Prev Med 2015;48(1):70–75.American Journal of Preventive MedicineVol. 49Issue 2
