{"id":172583,"date":"2021-05-06T07:02:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T11:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=172583"},"modified":"2021-05-05T16:17:56","modified_gmt":"2021-05-05T20:17:56","slug":"study-fast-food-restaurants-voluntary-healthy-meal-options-for-children-unlikely-to-result-in-more-nutritious-food-purchases-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2021\/05\/study-fast-food-restaurants-voluntary-healthy-meal-options-for-children-unlikely-to-result-in-more-nutritious-food-purchases-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Study: Fast Food Restaurants’ Voluntary Healthy Meal Options for Children Unlikely to Result in More Nutritious Food Purchases for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite voluntary restaurant policies to improve the nutrition of some items included in fast-food kids\u2019 meals, purchases of kids\u2019 meals and selection of healthier kids\u2019 meal drinks did not increase following policy introductions, according to a new study<\/a> by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur study shows that voluntary healthier kids\u2019 meals policies at fast food restaurants have not led to improvements in children\u2019s fast food consumption. Purchases of kids\u2019 meals, which contain fewer calories than regular menu items, and selection of healthier kids\u2019 meal drinks did not increase following implementation,\u201d says Dr. Yoon Choi, a research associate at the Rudd Center and lead co-author of the study.<\/p>\n

The findings of the study, published today in the journal Pediatric Obesity<\/em>, help inform policy efforts to improve the nutritional value of restaurant kids\u2019 meals. Over 1 in 3 US children eat fast food<\/a> on a given day, and research<\/a> shows fast food consumption contributes to higher intake of calories, added sugar, sodium, and fat.<\/p>\n

In recent years and in response to public advocacy efforts, national fast food restaurant chains have rolled out voluntary policies, such as offering healthier side dish options like apple slices or yogurt, or removing sugary fountain drinks from kids\u2019 meal menu boards.\u00a0 The new study examined what parents ordered for their children (ages 2-11) before and after voluntary policies were adopted by four top fast-food restaurant chains: McDonald\u2019s, Burger King, Wendy\u2019s, and Subway. The results were clear: purchases of healthier items did not increase after restaurants announced their healthier kids\u2019 meal policies.<\/p>\n

The online study surveyed caregivers with at least one child aged 2-11 in 2010, 2013, and 2016 (2,093 participants in total) who had purchased lunch or dinner for their child at one of the four fast-food restaurants in the past week. Parents provided detailed information about the items they ordered for their child. The Rudd Center previously published the survey findings in a 2018 report<\/a>, which primarily focused on how parents\u2019 fast food purchases for their children and how they changed over time.<\/p>\n

In this paper, Rudd Center researchers modeled whether voluntary kids\u2019 meal policies impacted parents\u2019 purchases of kids\u2019 meals and healthier drinks and sides with these meals.<\/p>\n

Key findings include:<\/p>\n