Tufts Report: Restaurant Meals Fail to Meet Ideal Nutrition Standards

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A new study by Tufts researchers found that restaurant meals consumed in the United States are likely to be of poor nutritional value. The study analyzed 24-hour dietary information provided by a nationally representative sample of more than 35,000 U.S. adults between 2003 and 2016. Over 20 percent of all reported calories came from meals at fast-food or full-service restaurants. When the nutritional value of the restaurant meals was analyzed using the American Heart Association (AHA) diet score, around 50 percent of full-service restaurant meals and 70 percent of fast-food restaurant meals were found to be of poor nutritional value. Less than 0.1 percent of restaurant meals analyzed during the entire study period were rated “ideal.” (Editor’s Note: The AHA diet score was developed to be applied to the whole day, not single meals.)

The authors recommend eating at home more often, looking for healthier menu options, minimizing the amount of processed meat (like sausage, bacon, and deli meats) ordered, and choosing water, seltzer, or unsweetened tea instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. They also encourage restaurants to offer more fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fish to increase the nutritional quality of their offerings.

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