Nutr Res Pract.  2015 Dec;9(6):667-672. 10.4162/nrp.2015.9.6.667.

The effect of providing nutritional information about fast-food restaurant menus on parents' meal choices for their children

• Ahn JY
• Park HR
• Lee K
• Kwon S
• Kim S
• Yang J
• Song KH
• Lee Y

• KMID: 2313892
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2015.9.6.667

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
To encourage healthier food choices for children in fast-food restaurants, many initiatives have been proposed. This study aimed to examine the effect of disclosing nutritional information on parents' meal choices for their children at fast-food restaurants in South Korea.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
An online experimental survey using a menu board was conducted with 242 parents of children aged 2-12 years who dined with them at fast-food restaurants at least once a month. Participants were classified into two groups: the low-calorie group (n = 41) who chose at least one of the lowest calorie meals in each menu category, and the high-calorie group (n = 201) who did not. The attributes including perceived empowerment, use of provided nutritional information, and perceived difficulties were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
The low-calorie group perceived significantly higher empowerment with the nutritional information provided than did the high-calorie group (P = 0.020). Additionally, the low-calorie group was more interested in nutrition labeling (P < 0.001) and considered the nutritional value of menus when selecting restaurants for their children more than did the high-calorie group (P = 0.017). The low-calorie group used the nutritional information provided when choosing meals for their children significantly more than did the high-calorie group (P < 0.001), but the high-calorie group had greater difficulty using the nutritional information provided (P = 0.012).
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that improving the empowerment of parents using nutritional information could be a strategy for promoting healthier parental food choices for their children at fast-food restaurants.

Keyword

Fast-food restaurant; nutritional labeling; children; parents; meal choice

MeSH Terms

Child*
Food Labeling
Humans
Korea
Meals*
Nutritive Value
Parents
Power (Psychology)
Restaurants*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Calories selected (kcal). *** P < 0.001

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