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Children’s Choices at sit-down eateries

Posted by Ed and Lois

Parents who are worried about their teenagers’ fast-food habits might want to watch what their kids scarf down in “sit-down” restaurants, because Taco Bell dining could be healthier than teens’ choices at more formal eateries, a study suggested Monday.

A new study shows teens might eat healthier fare at Taco Bell than they do at ‘sit-down’ restaurants. 

“Overeating occurs at all kinds of restaurants,” says University of Hawaii pediatrician Loren Yamamoto. But when asked what menu items they would eat, kids seem to choose less fatty foods at fast-food places such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s, according to a survey Yamamoto did with his 17-year-old daughter, Julienne Yamamoto. They reported on the study at the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in San Francisco.

They gave menus from 10 restaurants to 104 children 11 to 18 years old. Everyone picked out selections they’d probably order and estimated how much they’d eat of each choice.

Kids chose meals with the fewest calories and least fat at Taco Bell, Panda Express, Wendy’s and McDonald’s. They selected the most caloric fare at Outback Steak House, Chili’s and California Pizza Kitchen. In the middle: Red Lobster, Stuart Anderson’s and Denny’s.

Full Post: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-10-12-eateries-usat_x.htm

Comments:

1. This was interesting until this statement:

   “Everyone picked out selections they’d probably order and estimated how much they’d eat of each choice.”

   A golden rule of research is that what people do and what they say they do are rarely the same.

   Posted by Mike Boyink  on  10/21  at  07:12 AM