ArticleAmerican journal of preventive medicine2016
Calorie Changes in Large Chain Restaurants: Declines in New Menu Items but Room for Improvement.
Article in American journal of preventive medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Progress Evaluation for Transnational Restaurant Chains to Reformulate Products and Standardize Portions to Meet Healthy Dietary Guidelines and Reduce Obesity and Non-Communicable Disease Risks, 2000-2018: A Scoping and Systematic Review to Inform Policy.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Calorie Labeling and Modified Calorie Labeling Interventions: Impact on Consumer and Restaurant Behavior.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2017Pooled it
- Calorie labelling regulations in England: menu change not behaviour change?Public health nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
- Trends in Availability and Nutritional Profile of Meat-Based Versus Meat-Free Menu Items in 75 Large Chain Restaurants in the United States, 2013-2021.American journal of preventive medicine · 2025Article
- Changes in energy content of menu items at out-of-home food outlets in England after calorie labelling policy implementation: a pre-post analysis (2021-2022).BMJ public health · 2025Article
- Article
- Monitoring the Nutrient Composition of Food Prepared Out-of-Home in the United Kingdom: Database Development and Case Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2022Article
- Changes in Calorie Content of Menu Items at Large Chain Restaurants After Implementation of Calorie Labels.JAMA network open · 2021Article
- Energy, Sodium, Sugar and Saturated Fat Content of New Zealand Fast-Food Products and Meal Combos in 2020.Nutrients · 2021Article
- Prevalence and nutrient composition of menu offerings targeted to customers with dietary restrictions at US fast casual and full-service restaurants.Public health nutrition · 2021Article
- Association of Chain Restaurant Advertising Spending With Obesity in US Adults.JAMA network open · 2020Article
- When dessert comes close: The effects of anticipating indulgent consumption and dietary restraint on healthy food preference at restaurants.International journal of hospitality management · 2020Article
- Trends in the Nutrition Profile of Menu Items at Large Burger Chain Restaurants.American journal of preventive medicine · 2020Article
- Impact of Changes in Chain Restaurant Calories over Time on Obesity Risk.Journal of general internal medicine · 2020Article
- Effects of Menu Labeling Policies on Transnational Restaurant Chains to Promote a Healthy Diet: A Scoping Review to Inform Policy and Research.Nutrients · 2020Article
- Quality of Meals Consumed by US Adults at Full-Service and Fast-Food Restaurants, 2003-2016: Persistent Low Quality and Widening Disparities.The Journal of nutrition · 2020Article
- Sodium, calorie, and sugary drink purchasing patterns in chain restaurants: Findings from NYC.Preventive medicine reports · 2020Article
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionLarge chain restaurants reduced the number of calories in newly introduced menu items in 2013 by about 60 calories (or 12%) relative to 2012. This paper describes trends in calories available in large U.S. chain restaurants to understand whether previously documented patterns persist.
methodsData (a census of items for included restaurants) were obtained from the MenuStat project. This analysis included 66 of the 100 largest U.S. restaurants that are available in all three of the data years (2012-2014; N=23,066 items). Generalized linear models were used to examine: (1) per-item calorie changes from 2012 to 2014 among items on the menu in all years; and (2) mean calories in new items in 2013 and 2014 compared with items on the menu in 2012 only. Data were analyzed in 2014.
resultsOverall, calories in newly introduced menu items declined by 71 (or 15%) from 2012 to 2013 (p=0.001) and by 69 (or 14%) from 2012 to 2014 (p=0.03). These declines were concentrated mainly in new main course items (85 fewer calories in 2013 and 55 fewer calories in 2014; p=0.01). Although average calories in newly introduced menu items are declining, they are higher than items common to the menu in all 3 years. No differences in mean calories among items on menus in 2012, 2013, or 2014 were found.
conclusionsThe previously observed declines in newly introduced menu items among large restaurant chains have been maintained, which suggests the beginning of a trend toward reducing calories.
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