Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32576300›Full record

ArticlePublic health nutrition2020

Differences in the sugar content of fast-food products across three countries.

Nicole Lewis, Qiushi Huang, Patrick Merkel, Dong Keun Rhee, Allison C Sylvetsky

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Public health nutrition, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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.

Nicole LewisDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington DC20052, USA.
Qiushi HuangDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington DC20052, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4456-1681
Patrick MerkelDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington DC20052, USA.
Dong Keun RheeDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington DC20052, USA.
Allison C SylvetskyDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington DC20052, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0424-2798

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare the sugar content of items at four multinational fast-food chains, across three countries.

designTotal sugar (g)/per serving was extracted from online nutrition information, and sugar/100 g serving was calculated. Foods were categorised as: breakfast sandwiches, burgers, sandwiches, desserts and condiments. Beverages were categorised as fountain, frozen or pre-packaged. Sugar (g) was compared across countries using linear mixed-effects models. Pairwise comparisons were performed with Tukey-Kramer adjustments.

settingUSA, Germany and Australia.

participantsBurger King™ (Hungry Jack's™), Kentucky Fried Chicken™, McDonald's™ and Subway™.

resultsDifferences in total sugar/100 g or ml were observed across countries for burgers (n 104), desserts (n 110), sandwiches (n 178), pre-packaged beverages (n 36) and frozen beverages (n 72). Comparing identical items across countries (e.g. BigMacTM from McDonalds in USA, Germany and Australia), burgers (n 10 available in all three countries) had lower sugar content in Australia (3·4 g/100 g) compared with the USA (4·7 g/100 g, P = 0·02) or Germany (4·6 g/100 g, P = 0·04), yet no differences were observed in other food categories. Comparing the same beverages across countries (e.g. chocolate shake from Burger King), frozen beverages (n 4 available in all three countries) had lower sugar content in Australia (14·2 g/100 ml), compared with the USA (20·3 g/100 ml, P = 0·0005) or Germany (17·8 g/100 ml, P = 0·0148), yet no differences were observed in other beverage categories.

conclusionsHeterogeneity in fast-food sugar content across countries suggests that reductions are possible and should be implemented to reduce health risks associated with excess added sugar intake.

Indexed as

Fast FoodsSugarsAustraliaBeveragesFood LabelingGermanyHumansUnited StatesSugarsAdded sugarBeveragesFast foodMenuObesityRestaurantSoft drinks

Identifiers

PMID32576300
PMCPMC10200679

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.