Added Sugar Levels in Kids' Meals From Chain Restaurants

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the added sugar levels in kids' meals from chain restaurants in relation to the World Health Organization's proposed and current sugar recommendation (no more than 5%‐10% of total daily calories should come from added sugars). Total sugar levels were retrieved from the websites of 17 chain restaurants in 2010. The added sugar levels in 3178 kids' meals (including entrées, side dishes, beverages and desserts) from Canadian restaurants were calculated by subtracting all naturally occurring sugars from the total sugar level. Overall, added sugar levels in kids' meals ranged from 0g to 114g. The average amount of added sugar in a kids' meal (25±0.36 g) was equivalent to the WHO's proposed daily sugar recommendation (calculated using an average child's energy requirement). 50% of meals exceeded the WHO's proposed daily sugar recommendation (<5% of total calories), and 19% exceeded the WHO's current daily sugar recommendation (<10% of total calories). Beverages on average contained 16±20 g of added sugars, desserts contained 12±7 g, entrées contained 3±6 g and side dishes contained 0.6±2 g. Beverages with the highest sugar content were typically soft drinks, fruit juices with added sugars and chocolate milk. Entrées with the highest sugar content were chicken nugget meals containing honey mustard dipping sauces, as well as rib meals and sandwiches with sweet sauces. In conclusion, there is a wide range of sugar levels in kids' meals from restaurants, and many contain more than a day's worth of sugar.