Nutritional Quality of Kids' Fast-Food Meals: Comparing the Kids' Menus of Fast-Food Companies and Traditional Turkish Meals in Turkey

Despite the increasing consumption of fast foods, the nutrient quality of such meals has not been systematically evaluated I Turkey. Our study aimed to investigate and compare the nutritional value of the kids' menus of 4 popular fast-food chains and traditional Turkish menus created by specialist dietitians. The nutritional values of the kids' menus were assessed using the recommended daily allowance, dietary guidelines for Turkey, and national food-based dietary recommendations of the Turkish Ministry of Health. All meals were compared in terms of energy, macro food items, and sodium content. The kids' menus from the following 4 most preferred fast-food companies in Turkey were included in the study: McDonald's, Burger King, Popeyes, and Arby's. The menus with the highest energy and fat content were offered by Burger King, those with the highest protein content were offered by Popeyes, and those with the highest sodium content were offered by Arby's. The contribution of fat to the energy content was found to be low in traditional Turkish menus (P
Source: Nutrition Today - Category: Nutrition Tags: Human Nutrition Source Type: research