Most restaurant kids' meals packed with calories - most unhealthy dishes at u.s chain restaurants

A new analysis found that most children's meals in the top chain restaurants in the United States are still not up to standard in nutrition.
Fried chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, French fries and soda are the most common items provided to children. some children have more than 1,000 calories in their meals and have high sodium and fat content, according to the public interest Science Center (CSPI).
The government's dietary guidelines recommend that children between the ages of 4 and 10 consume between 1,200 and 2,200 calories a day.
"It's really disappointing," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at CSPI . ".
"The restaurant should do better.
"Many restaurants have made some progress in providing healthier food on the children's menu, including providing more fruits, vegetables and fats --free and low-fat milk.
Story: making a healthy breakfast in your hometown: making a simple lunch in your hometown, working with a nutrition researcher at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, analyzed the 3,498 children's meal combinations of 41 top chain restaurants
34 chain stores provide nutritional information for these meals.
Survey results show :--
91% of the children's meals in these chains do not meet the children's LiveWell menu standards voluntarily proposed by the National Restaurant Association.
It recommends that healthy children's diet contain 600 calories or less, and get 35% or less calories from total fat and total sugar, no more than 770 mg.
Other nutrition standards are also met.
The standard emphasizes thin protein, fruits, vegetables, allgrain and low-
Fat dairy products. --
Nine of the top chain restaurants, including McDonald's, do not have children's meals that meet children's living standards. --
50% of children's meals contain more than 600 calories. --
78% of chain stores offer soft drinks for children;
58% juice supply; 40% offer fat-free or 1% low-fat milk; 43% offer high-fat milk (2% or whole). --
83% the main course of fried chicken for children's meals, such as chicken fingers or chicken nuggets;
35% grilled chicken;
65% burgers. --
73% of the children's menu provides fried potatoes such as chips and potato chips;
53% provide vegetables other than oil and fried potatoes in children's meals;
68% provide fruit.
The most common choices are apple slices, apple sauce, fruit cups, oranges and grapes.
Wootan said there has not been much improvement since consumer groups did similar research in 2008.
Despite this, some restaurants are still making big strides.
For example, all subway children's meals including apple slices and water, apple juice or 1% low
Fat milk meets the nutritional criteria for calories, sodium and fat, Wootan said.
Joy Dubost, nutrition director of the National Restaurant Association, said the industry has been rapidly expanding the supply of healthy dining through the children's LiveWell program.
"It launched 19 brands in 2011, including chain restaurants and moms. and-pop operations.
"We now have 130 brands that represent 40,000 restaurants," she said . ".
"We provide healthy food on the menu and we encourage parents and children to order options that are suitable for a healthy diet as a whole. "Anita Jones-
Miller, founder of health catering company (
The discoverer of healthcom)
Working with the restaurant association on the children's LiveWell program, the association said, "As parents, it is sometimes difficult to make a child eat healthy, but the child LiveWell option makes things easier.
She said: "It's exciting to see so many restaurants creating healthier choices because it helps parents feel good when eating outside because they know their children have nutritious choices.
Utan said the children received about 25% of their daily calories quickly.
Food places and other restaurants, the consumption of food in restaurants is related to high calorie intake and poor food quality.
"The children's meal in the restaurant is what the children think their food should be chicken nuggets, pizza and burgers, as well as French fries and soda," she said . ".
"It defines what they think about children's food, which is mostly the opposite of what they should learn to eat.
These foods make them unhealthy all their lives.
"We need to recognize that children's meals are the most nutritious food on the menu, and she said:" Because children are growing, developing and forming eating habits that will affect their health and the weight of the rest of their lives. ".
At present, about children and adolescents are overweight or obese, which makes children at greater risk of developing a range of weak and expensive diseases, including type 2 diabetes, with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Worst children's meal-
The public interest Science Center named these foods the worst child meals in terms of calories and other nutrients :--
Add apple bee's grilled cheese to sour dough bread, French fries and 2% of chocolate milk with 1,210 calories. --
1,010-calorie chili sausage pizza with homemade fries and soda. --Denny's Jr.
Burgers and chips with cheese (
Drinks are not included in children's meals), 980 calories. --
Ruby Tuesday's mac 'n cheese, white cheddar mashed potatoes and fruit punch-in, 860 calories. --
Children's French fries, sauce, Arctic peak (a frozen drink)
1,030 calories at the deli bar.
Some health options for KidsAnita Jones
Miller and registered dietitian with healthy diet.
Com selected some nutritious restaurant meals for children from the popular chain stores participating in the children's LiveWell program.
These foods emphasize thin protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low protein.
Fat dairy products, which have less than 600 calories, meet other specific nutritional standards.
Note: The calories are round.
Apple Bee: grilled chicken sandwich, broccoli and 1% milk, about 360 calories.
Arby's: roast beef sandwich, apple slices and low
Fat white milk, 330 calories.
Burger King: Kids Burger with BK Fresh apple slices and fat-
Free milk, 380 calories. Chick-fil-
A: 4 pieces of roast chicken with a fruit cup, 1% lower-
Fat milk, 220 calories.
Chili: Grilled chicken platter, steamed broccoli, orange juice, 320 calories.
Corner Bakery Cafe: pasta marinade with fruit platterfat milk. (
Dessert selection is not included in the analysis. ), 460 calories.
Danny: build your own Jr.
A grand slam with scrambled egg whites, two pieces of turkey bacon, potato pancakes and orange juice, 360 calories.
English muffin and egg sandwich.
A large piece of scrambled egg protein and American cheese on a baked English muffin with apple slices.
The analysis included 390 calories of Water Selected for drinks.
Outback Steakhouse: cold Western steak with broccoli and 100% apple juice, 330 calories.