The Nutritional Quality of Kids’ Menus from Cafés and Restaurants: An Australian Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Australian families increasingly rely on eating foods from outside the home, which increases intake of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods. ‘Kids’ Menus’ are designed to appeal to families and typically lack healthy options. However, the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus from cafes and full-service restaurants (as opposed to fast-food outlets) has not been investigated in Australia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus in restaurants and cafés in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. All 787 cafes and restaurants located within the East Metropolitan Health Service area were contacted and 33% had a separate Kids’ Menu. The validated Kids’ Menu Healthy Score (KIMEHS) was used to assess the nutritional quality of the Kids’ Menus. Almost all Kids’ Menus (99%) were rated ‘unhealthy’ using KIMEHS. The mean KIMEHS score for all restaurants and cafés was −8.5 (range −14.5 to +3.5) which was lower (i.e., more unhealthy) than the mean KIMEHS score for the top 10 most frequented chain fast-food outlets (mean −3.5, range −6.5 to +3). The findings highlight the need for additional supports to make improvements in the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus. Local Government Public Health Plans provide an opportunity for policy interventions, using locally relevant tools to guide decision making.

Qualidade Do Menu Infantil Em Restaurantes De Shoppings Centers Da Cidade De São Paulo E Da Baixada Santista

“…Observou-se a presença de preparações fritas por imersão como empanados e batata frita em ambos. Na Austrália, Trapp et al (2022) relataram que as refeições mais frequentes no cardápio infantil também foram as massas (54%), os empanados de carne bovina e frango (53%) e peixes com batata frita (47%). Ao avaliar a oferta de hambúrgueres, hot dogs e empanados é importante ter em mente a presença do sódio nas refeições.…”

Nutritional quality of children’s menus in restaurants: does cuisine type matter?

“…Poor nutritional quality of children’s menus has been consistently demonstrated in several countries (e.g. the US, UK, Ireland, Germany and Canada) and within cafes, restaurants and fast-food outlets ( 20 ) . Currently, it is unclear why children’s meals are lacking in nutritional quality.…”

“…The findings from this study highlight that interventions and policies aimed at improving the healthiness of restaurant children’s menus are needed across all cuisine types. Several initiatives in the United States and one in Australia encourage restaurants to offer healthy options on children’s menus and to improve their overall healthfulness, ( 24 ) for example, the US National Kids LiveWell Program, The Best Food for Families, Infants and Toddlers intervention and the ‘Healthy Kids Menu’ initiative undertaken by South Australia Health and Health and Wellbeing Queensland ( 20 ) .…”

El papel de los pediatras en el manejo de niños y adolescentes con sobrepeso u obesidad

“…Consumir alimentos fuera de casa también puede cambiar los hábitos alimenticios que favorecen el aumento de peso; por ejemplo, en los restaurantes las porciones de las comidas pueden ser más grandes que las ofrecidas en los hogares. 16 Además, es común que los padres obliguen a sus hijos a terminar los alimentos que se les sirven, aunque sus hijos ya estén satisfechos.…”