If the menu at your child's favorite fast food joint included nutritional info, would it change your order? One new study suggests it might. Researchers at the University of Washington presented parents at a pediatric clinic with sample fast food menus; some had nutritional information and some didn't. Parents were asked to indicate what they'd order for themselves and for their 3- to 6-year-old. Those who received a menu with nutritional info listed ordered meals with, on average, about 100 fewer calories--enough to make a difference in health and fitness over time, the study's authors noted. The study appears in the current issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The authors say that "this study is the first to suggest that labeled menus may lead to significantly lower calorie content in restaurant meals purchased for children."
Although this was just a simulation--parents weren't actually placing an order, just saying what they would typically choose--even those who had nutritional information in front of them ordered an average of 567 calories' worth of food. That is a lot for one meal for a preschooler! (Even a very active child of this age only needs about 1,500 calories a day, total.)
If your family visits fast-food chains (and realistically, we all do at some point, right?), cut calories and added sugars and fats by swapping soda for water or milk, and fries for salad or fruit. Try to check nutritional info on the chain's web site or tray liner before you order. And stock up on healthy snacks to go so you'll be better able to avoid the drive-through.
