CONSUMERS UNDERESTIMATE CALORIES IN FAST FOOD BY 34%
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BOSTON—Diners at fast-food restaurants significantly underestimate the number of calories in their meals, by as much as 34%, according to a study published in the journal BMJ.
Harvard researchers, along with leaders of the Massachusetts and Connecticut Departments of Public Health, surveyed nearly 3,400 adults, teens and school-age children in 2010 and 2011 at 89 fast-food restaurants in four New England cities to examine the difference between the estimated and actual calorie content of foods purchased at fast-food restaurants.
Teens underestimated the most, believing that their orders had more than one-third fewer calories than the meals actually contained. Parents of school-age children underestimated by as much as 23% and other adults by as much as 20%.
“We found that people, especially teens, are consuming more calories than they think they’re getting when they eat fast food," said lead researcher Jason Block, assistant professor, population medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.
Teens underestimated the number of calories in their average order, which contained 756 calories, by 259 calories. The researchers found adults ordered meals containing 836 calories on average, but typically underestimated the calorie content of those meals by 175 calories. Parents of school-age children underestimated their own orders, which contained an average of 733 calories, by 175 calories overall. Notably, one-quarter of all participants underestimated the calorie content of their meals by at least 500 calories.
“We also saw differences by food chain," said Block. Subway patrons underestimated the number of calories in their orders by a larger amount than did patrons of McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Wendy’s and Dunkin Donuts. Compared with McDonald’s patrons, estimates provided by adults and teens who ate at Subway were 20%-25% less accurate. Block suggested that Subway’s branding may provide a “health halo" among the public.
Harvard researchers, along with leaders of the Massachusetts and Connecticut Departments of Public Health, surveyed nearly 3,400 adults, teens and school-age children in 2010 and 2011 at 89 fast-food restaurants in four New England cities to examine the difference between the estimated and actual calorie content of foods purchased at fast-food restaurants.
Teens underestimated the most, believing that their orders had more than one-third fewer calories than the meals actually contained. Parents of school-age children underestimated by as much as 23% and other adults by as much as 20%.
“We found that people, especially teens, are consuming more calories than they think they’re getting when they eat fast food," said lead researcher Jason Block, assistant professor, population medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.
Teens underestimated the number of calories in their average order, which contained 756 calories, by 259 calories. The researchers found adults ordered meals containing 836 calories on average, but typically underestimated the calorie content of those meals by 175 calories. Parents of school-age children underestimated their own orders, which contained an average of 733 calories, by 175 calories overall. Notably, one-quarter of all participants underestimated the calorie content of their meals by at least 500 calories.
“We also saw differences by food chain," said Block. Subway patrons underestimated the number of calories in their orders by a larger amount than did patrons of McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Wendy’s and Dunkin Donuts. Compared with McDonald’s patrons, estimates provided by adults and teens who ate at Subway were 20%-25% less accurate. Block suggested that Subway’s branding may provide a “health halo" among the public.
Sources:
- Harvard Medical School: With Fast Food, Consumers Get More than They Expect
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