Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30541906›Full record

Observational studyBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2018

(Over)eating out at major UK restaurant chains: observational study of energy content of main meals.

Eric Robinson, Andrew Jones, Victoria Whitelock, Bethan R Mead, Ashleigh Haynes

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

63 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  4. Association between access to full-service restaurants and childhood obesity.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2021
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3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Eric RobinsonInstitute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK eric.robinson@liv.ac.uk.
Andrew JonesInstitute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK.
Victoria WhitelockInstitute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK.
Bethan R MeadInstitute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK.
Ashleigh HaynesInstitute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/N000218/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo examine the energy content of main meals served in major UK restaurant chains and compare the energy content of meals in fast food and "full service" restaurant chains.

designObservational study.

settingMenu and nutritional information provided by major UK restaurant chains.

main outcome measuresMean energy content of meals, proportion of meals meeting public health recommendations for energy consumption (≤600 kcal), and proportion of meals with excessive energy content (≥1000 kcal).

resultsMain meals from 27 restaurant chains (21 full service; 6 fast food) were sampled. The mean energy content of all eligible restaurant meals (13 396 in total) was 977 (95% confidence interval 973 to 983) kcal. The percentage of all meals that met public health recommendations for energy content was low (9%; n=1226) and smaller than the percentage of meals with an excessive energy content (47%; 6251). Compared with fast food restaurants, full service restaurants offered significantly more excessively calorific main meals, fewer main meals meeting public health recommendations, and on average 268 (103 to 433) kcal more in main meals.

conclusionsThe energy content of a large number of main meals in major UK restaurant chains is excessive, and only a minority meet public health recommendations. Although the poor nutritional quality of fast food meals has been well documented, the energy content of full service restaurant meals in the UK tends to be higher and is a cause for concern. REGISTRATION: Study protocol and analysis strategy pre-registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/w5h8q/).

Indexed as

Energy IntakeMealsCalorimetryFast FoodsFood LabelingHumansPortion SizeRecommended Dietary AllowancesRestaurantsUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID30541906
PMCPMC6290483

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.