Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38557393›Full record

Observational studyPublic health nutrition2024

Benchmarking online food delivery applications against menu labelling laws: a cross-sectional observational analysis.

Sophia Cassano, Anna Jia, Alice A Gibson, Stephanie R Partridge, Virginia Chan, Penny Farrell, Philayrath Phongsavan, Margaret Allman-Farinelli, Si Si Jia

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

Observational study in Public health nutrition, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Combo Deals, Junk Meals: A Systematic Review Examining the Healthiness of Foods Promoted on Meal Delivery Apps.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
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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

9 authors.

Sophia CassanoThe University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Anna JiaThe University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Alice A GibsonThe University of Sydney, Menzies Centre for Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Stephanie R PartridgeThe University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Virginia ChanThe University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Penny FarrellThe University of Sydney, Menzies Centre for Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Philayrath PhongsavanThe University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Margaret Allman-FarinelliThe University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.
Si Si JiaThe University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0352-7970

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIt is unknown how well menu labelling schemes that enforce the display of kilojoule (kJ) labelling at point-of-sale have been implemented on online food delivery (OFD) services in Australia. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of kJ labelling on the online menus of large food outlets with more than twenty locations in the state or fifty locations nationally. A secondary aim was to evaluate the nutritional quality of menu items on OFD from mid-sized outlets that have fewer locations than what is specified in the current scheme.

designCross-sectional analysis. Prevalence of kJ labelling by large food outlets on OFD from August to September 2022 was examined. Proportion of discretionary ('junk food') items on menus from mid-sized outlets was assessed.

settingForty-three unique large food outlets on company (e.g. MyMacca's) and third party OFD (Uber Eats, Menulog, Deliveroo) within Sydney, Australia. Ninety-two mid-sized food outlets were analysed.

participantsN/A.

resultsOn company OFD apps, 35 % (7/23) had complete kJ labelling for each menu item. In comparison, only 4·8 % (2/42), 5·3 % (2/38) and 3·6 % (1/28) of large outlets on Uber Eats, Menulog and Deliveroo had complete kJ labelling at all locations, respectively. Over three-quarters, 76·3 % (345/452) of menu items from mid-sized outlets were classified as discretionary.

conclusionsKilojoule labelling was absent or incomplete on a high proportion of online menus. Mid-sized outlets have abundant discretionary choices and yet escape criteria for mandatory menu labelling laws. Our findings show the need to further monitor the implementation of nutrition policies on OFD.

Indexed as

BenchmarkingEnergy IntakeCross-Sectional StudiesFood LabelingHumansRestaurantsCalorie labellingEnergy labellingFood environmentMenu labellingNutrition policyOnline food delivery

Identifiers

PMID38557393
PMCPMC11036439

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.