Kids' Meals Contain Too Many Calories, Report Finds

A report from the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) concluded that the majority of children's meals offered at the nation's top restaurant chains are too high in calories, the Associated Press reports. According to Institute of Medicine recommendations, children ages 4 to 8 should consume only about 430 calories per meal. But 93 percent of the 1,474 children's meal combinations offered at the 13 restaurants surveyed exceeded that recommendation. Chili's Bar and Grill, for example, offered 700 possible kids' meal combinations on its menu, but 94 percent of them exceeded the 430-calorie benchmark. In addition, the report found that 45 percent of children's meals exceeded the daily recommendations for saturated and trans fats and 86 percent were high in sodium. CSPI does note that some restaurants are adjusting their menus to give children and their parents healthier options. Two-thirds of Subway's kids' meals, for example, contain 430 calories or less. Subway also is the only chain that does not offer soft drinks with kids' meals. Other restaurants said they are considering adding lower-calorie items to their kids' menus. The National Restaurant Association, which represents 945,000 restaurants, responded that "exercising parental responsibility is key to childhood nutrition" and that "good eating habits and healthy living must be established in the home." However, citing evidence that dining out accounts for roughly one-third of children's daily caloric intake, CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan said "parents want to feed their children healthy meals, but America's chain restaurants are setting parents up to fail." To increase families' access to healthy food, the report recommends that restaurants reformulate their menu items to reduce calorie, fat and sodium content; make fruit, vegetables and low-fat milk or water default sides for children's meals instead of french fries or soda; and post nutrition information with menus to help parents make better-informed selections for their children (Lowy, AP/ Boston Globe, 8/4/08; Center for Science in the Public Interest release, 8/4/08).