Sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat content per 1,000 kilocalories: temporal trends in fast-food restaurants, United States, 2000-2013.

Lorien E Urban,Jamie L Fierstein,Susan B Roberts,Alice H Lichtenstein,Christine E Gary

doi:10.5888/pcd11.140335

Abstract

IntroductionIntakes of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat remain high despite recommendations to limit these nutrients for cardiometabolic risk reduction. A major contributor to intake of these nutrients is foods prepared outside the home, particularly from fast-food restaurants.MethodsWe analyzed the nutrient content of frequently ordered items from 3 US national fast-food chains: fried potatoes (large French fries), cheeseburgers (2-oz and 4-oz), and a grilled chicken sandwich. We used an archival website to obtain data on sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat content for these items from 2000 through 2013. The amount of each nutrient per 1,000 kcal was calculated to determine whether there were trends in product reformulation.ResultsSodium content per 1,000 kcal differed widely among the 3 chains by food item, precluding generalizations across chains. During the 14-year period, sodium content per 1,000 kcal for large French fries remained high for all 3 chains, although the range narrowed from 316–2,000 mg per 1,000 kcal in 2000 to 700–1,420 mg per 1,000 kcal in 2013. Among the items assessed, cheeseburgers were the main contributor of saturated fat, and there was little change in content per 1,000 kcal for this item during the 14-year period. In contrast, there was a sharp decline in saturated and trans fat content of large French fries per 1,000 kcal. Post-2009, the major contributor of trans fat per 1,000 kcal was cheeseburgers; trans fat content of this item remained stable during the 14-year period.ConclusionWith the exception of French fries, little evidence was found during the 14-year period of product reformulation by restaurants to become more consistent with dietary guidance to reduce intakes of sodium and saturated fat.

Highlights

Intakes of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat remain high despite recommendations to limit these nutrients for cardiometabolic risk reduction
In a companion article [9], we examined trends over time in the portion size of frequently consumed foods and beverages (3 sizes of fried potatoes [French fries] and regular cola, 2 sizes of cheeseburgers, and a grilled chicken sandwich) [10] among 3 of the top US-based fast-food chain restaurants [11]
We summarized the available data for sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat content per 1,000 kcal offered by 3 national fast-food chain restaurants for their most frequently ordered menu items: French fries, 2 sizes of cheeseburgers, and a grilled chicken sandwich

Summary

Introduction

Intakes of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat remain high despite recommendations to limit these nutrients for cardiometabolic risk reduction. A major contributor to intake of these nutrients is foods prepared outside the home, from fast-food restaurants. A major contributor to intake of these nutrients is foods prepared outside the home, from fast-food restaurants [4,5,6], which is concerning because the contribution of foods prepared outside the home has steadily risen during the last 3 decades [7,8]. The data indicated that the items assessed contributed a disproportional amount of energy, sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat to total daily intake, as assessed by comparing the amounts per serving to recommendations [9]

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Conclusion