Heavy Uterine Bleeding

Abstract

<h3>Abstract</h3> <h3>Objective</h3> To measure the energy content of frequently ordered meals from full service and fast food restaurants in five countries and compare values with US data. <h3>Design</h3> Cross sectional survey. <h3>Setting</h3> 223 meals from 111 randomly selected full service and fast food restaurants serving popular cuisines in Brazil, China, Finland, Ghana, and India were the primary sampling unit; 10 meals from five worksite canteens were also studied in Finland. The observational unit was frequently ordered meals in selected restaurants. <h3>Main outcome measure</h3> Meal energy content, measured by bomb calorimetry. <h3>Results</h3> Compared with the US, weighted mean energy of restaurant meals was lower only in China (719 (95% confidence interval 646 to 799) kcal versus 1088 (1002 to 1181) kcal; P&lt;0.001). In analysis of variance models, fast food contained 33% less energy than full service meals (P&lt;0.001). In Finland, worksite canteens provided 25% less energy than full service and fast food restaurants (mean 880 (SD 156) versus 1166 (298); P=0.009). Country, restaurant type, number of meal components, and meal weight predicted meal energy in a factorial analysis of variance (R²=0.62, P&lt;0.001). Ninety four per cent of full service meals and 72% of fast food meals contained at least 600 kcal. Modeling indicated that, except in China, consuming current servings of a full service and a fast food meal daily would supply between 70% and 120% of the daily energy requirements for a sedentary woman, without additional meals, drinks, snacks, appetizers, or desserts. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Very high dietary energy content of both full service and fast food restaurant meals is a widespread phenomenon that is probably supporting global obesity and provides a valid intervention target.