Over the years many more Americans have become health-conscious: watching what they eat and avoiding fast food altogether. And so in turn, many fast food restaurants have responded to these changes by offering new, healthier alternatives on their menu. Thus in some aspects fast food has gotten a little better over the years; except, that is, where it has also gotten even worse.
In a study published this week in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, researchers at Tufts University examined 27 menu items from a variety of fast food locations in search of information about their true health qualities. The researchers discovered that in 2013, eight of the items contained fewer calories than they did in 1996, while nine actually contained more. Of the 18 items that were tested for sodium content, five had less sodium at the end of the 18-year period while seven had more.
The researchers looked up nutritional information for all of the cheeseburgers, French fries, grilled chicken sandwiches and regular sodas sold between 1996 and 2013 at three leading fast-food chains. And while the actual chains were not mentioned by name, one was described as "the top restaurant on the basis of sales" leading many to believe it was McDonald's and the other two chains were described as having "similar menu items" and a "national presence," leading many to speculate the researchers were describing Wendy's and Burger King.
In general, calorie content of similar items varied from chain to chain. For example, an order of small fries at one chain had 110 more calories than an order of small fries from one of the other chains.
The calorie content of foods also varied over time. The researchers found that a small fries from the top chain contained 20 more calories in 2013 than it did in 1996 while the other two chains saw increase by 50 and 90 calories in their small fries.
But the trans-fat levels in French fries have dipped to almost "undetectable levels" in response to a public health campaign against partially hydrogenated oils that began in New York City. These oils are useful to food producers because of their shelf life but they are bad for the body as they lower good cholesterol (HDL) while at the same time raising bad cholesterol (LDL).
Researchers found in 2013, a typical meal of a large cheeseburger, large fries and a large drink would account for well over half of your caloric intake, if you are trying to limit yourself to 2,000 calories a day. And the same can be said for sodium, as well. The typical cheeseburger meal would account for 63% to 139% of your daily-recommended sodium intake of 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams, as recommended by the USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Researchers believe this study was warranted due to the fact that Americans eat more than one-third of their calories away from home, and about 40% of those calories come from fast food restaurants. They also hope that by bringing these vast variations to light that not only may fast food chains change, but so would the consumers who are eating there.
