Reported calories and fat content of menu items served at restaurant chains

Background: As part of evaluating the feasibility of implementing a restaurant menu labeling monitoring program, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health examined the published nutritional information provided by eligible restaurant chains to describe available food options.

Methods: We randomly selected 7 of the largest restaurant chains out of 200+ in Los Angeles County (approximately 6,000 outlets). Restaurant menus with nutritional information were reviewed and total calories, total fat, and calories from fat were evaluated for 1,458 food items. Analysis was conducted by restaurant type, category of food, and meal.

Results: The reported average total calories and total fat for entrées for all restaurant chains in the study was 633.7 calories and 23.2 g, respectively. Among fast-food chains, entrées had an average of 474.7 calories and 20.6 g of fat, while at sit-down chains, the averages were 864.9 calories and 35.2 g. The average meal at all chains was 1,174.3 calories and 37.1g of fat. Furthermore, meals from fast-food chains had lower averages than sit-downs (901.3 calories and 23.9g vs. 1,414 calories and 50.1g).

Conclusions: The average total calories and fat for a single meal from these restaurant chains exceed 1/3 of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended daily limit. These results serve as an initial baseline for future assessments of long-term impacts of menu labeling. In addition, they suggest a need to consider additional efforts to improve restaurant food nutrition through reducing portion sizes, reformulating menu items, and educating the public about daily caloric and nutrient recommendations.