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Trapp GSA, Pulker CE, Hurworth M, Law KK, Brinkman S, Pollard CM, Harray AJ, Sambell R, Mandzufas J, Anzman-Frasca S, Hickling S. The Nutritional Quality of Kids’ Menus from Cafés and Restaurants: An Australian Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14132741. [PMID: 35807919 PMCID: PMC9269398 DOI: 10.3390/nu14132741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina S. A. Trapp
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, P.O. Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA 6872, Australia; (M.H.); (S.B.); (A.J.H.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-410-589-374
| | - Claire E. Pulker
- East Metropolitan Health Service, Kirkman House, 20 Murray Street, East Perth, Perth, WA 6004, Australia; (C.E.P.); (K.K.L.)
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;
| | - Miriam Hurworth
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, P.O. Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA 6872, Australia; (M.H.); (S.B.); (A.J.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Kristy K. Law
- East Metropolitan Health Service, Kirkman House, 20 Murray Street, East Perth, Perth, WA 6004, Australia; (C.E.P.); (K.K.L.)
| | - Sally Brinkman
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, P.O. Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA 6872, Australia; (M.H.); (S.B.); (A.J.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Christina M. Pollard
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;
| | - Amelia J. Harray
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, P.O. Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA 6872, Australia; (M.H.); (S.B.); (A.J.H.); (J.M.)
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;
| | - Ros Sambell
- Institute of Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia;
| | - Joelie Mandzufas
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, P.O. Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA 6872, Australia; (M.H.); (S.B.); (A.J.H.); (J.M.)
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Stephanie Anzman-Frasca
- Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-1660, USA;
| | - Siobhan Hickling
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia;
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