Folks do not count on fast-food “combo” meals to be wholesome consuming, however new analysis exhibits simply how unhealthy they are often.
One of many worst combo meals included 16 teaspoons of sugar.
Picture: 123RF
Vitamin specialists on the College of Auckland’s Faculty of Inhabitants Well being have carried out New Zealand’s first detailed analysis into combos, analysing serving dimension and vitamin data from 20 chains.
Kilojoules (energy), sodium (salt), sugar, and saturated fats content material had been in comparison with every day beneficial intakes.
One of many least wholesome combos (a double burger, dessert, fries and a sugary tender drink) included 16 teaspoons of sugar, together with extra energy than a mean particular person wants for a whole day, with an analogous extra of salt.
Researchers have declined to call the fast-food chain to keep away from singling out one firm.
“Even while you’re going for the comfort of a combo meal, your actual alternative could make an enormous distinction on your well being,” mentioned lead researcher Dr Sally Mackay.
“Go for smaller parts, skip the dessert, and select a low-sugar drink, and you may see the profit on your pockets in addition to your physique.”
To assist customers make more healthy selections, quick meals chains want to offer extra vitamin data on the level of buy, and minimize portion sizes, Dr Mackay mentioned.
Gadgets excessive in energy, salt or sugar may carry a warning image on the menu board.
Two out of three adults in New Zealand are overweight or obese, together with three in 10 youngsters. Excessive salt consumption can contribute to hypertension and stroke.
The examine, printed just lately within the journal Vitamins, outlined the a number of key findings.
These included:
- Burgers ranged in dimension from as small as 101 grams to as massive as 718 grams
- Smoothies, usually seen by customers as wholesome, got here as massive as 600 millilitres and may very well be excessive in energy and sugar. Two of the smoothies every offered 40 % of an individual’s every day energy
- Some quick meals chains had no vitamin data accessible both on-line or in retailer
- Many merchandise exceeded UK targets for ranges of salt, which had been used for comparability as a result of New Zealand lacks such targets
- A “least-healthy” combo had greater than 3 times the energy, over twice the salt, and 13 occasions the sugar of a combo meal consisting of a cheeseburger, small fries and a no-sugar tender drink.
Instruments to encourage more healthy consuming may embody government-set targets for energy and salt in quick meals, and menu board labelling, which is at present into consideration by coverage makers, the report additionally discovered
Dr Mackay mentioned it was disappointing most takeaway chains failed to offer vitamin data for many merchandise, and a few failed to offer any data.
The 20 fast-food chains whose meals had been analysed had been: Burger Gasoline, Burger King, Burger Wisconsin, Domino’s Pizza, Hell Pizza, Jester’s Pies, KFC, McDonald’s, McCafé, Muffin Break, Noodle Canteen, Pita Pit, Pizza Hut, St Pierres Sushi, Subway, Tank Juice, Wendy’s, Wild Bean Café, Wishbone, Z Specific. The seven chains that failed to offer dietary data had been: Nando’s, Evening ‘n Day, Sal’s Pizza, Shake Shed and Co, Shamiana, Starbucks and The Espresso Membership.
The examine was primarily based on knowledge collected in-store and from firm web sites from February to March 2020.
It was supported by the Nationwide Well being and Medical Analysis Council and used data from Nutritrack, which is funded by the Well being Analysis Council.
