International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Allemandi, Lorena
Neal, Bruce
Dunford, Elizabeth
Hassell, Trevor
Wenzel de Menezes, Elizabete
L’Abbe, Mary
Yan, Li
Blanco-Metzler, Adriana
Valdes, Lourdes
Ortiz, Johana

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

BioMed Central

Abstract

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with over-nutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess quantities of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt derived from fast foods contribute importantly to this disease burden. Our objective is to collate and compare nutrient composition data for fast foods as a means of supporting improvements in product formulation. METHODS/DESIGN: Surveys of fast foods will be done in each participating country each year. Information on the nutrient composition for each product will be sought either through direct chemical analysis, from fast food companies, in-store materials or from company websites. Foods will be categorized into major groups for the primary analyses which will compare mean levels of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, energy and serving size at baseline and over time. Countries currently involved include Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, USA, India, Spain, China and Canada, with more anticipated to follow. DISCUSSION: This collaborative approach to the collation and sharing of data will enable low-cost tracking of fast food composition around the world. This project represents a significant step forward in the objective and transparent monitoring of industry and government commitments to improve the quality of fast foods.

Description

Keywords

Food composition database, Food industry, Fast food, Monitoring

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

The Food Monitoring Group: International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods. BMC Public Health 2012 12:559.