The Nutritional Quality of Kids’ Menus from Cafés and Restaurants: An Australian Cross‐Sectional Study

Australian families increasingly rely on eating foods from outside the home, which in-creases intake of energy‐dense nutrient‐poor foods. ‘Kids’ Menus’ are designed to appeal to families and typically lack healthy options. However, the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus from cafes and full‐service restaurants (as opposed to fast‐food outlets) has not been investigated in Australia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus in restaurants and cafés in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia.

Citation:
Trapp GSA, Pulker CE, Hurworth M, Law KK, Brinkman S, Pollard CM, Harray AJ, Sambell R, Mandzufas J, Anzman‐frasca S, Hickling S. The Nutritional Quality of Kids’ Menus from Cafés and Restaurants: An Australian Cross‐Sectional Study. Nutrients. 2022;14(13)

Keywords:
Cafés; Kids’ Menus; nutritional quality; restaurants; cross-sectional study; decision making; fast food; government; public health; Western Australia

Abstract:
Australian families increasingly rely on eating foods from outside the home, which in-creases intake of energy‐dense nutrient‐poor foods. ‘Kids’ Menus’ are designed to appeal to families and typically lack healthy options. However, the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus from cafes and full‐service restaurants (as opposed to fast‐food outlets) has not been investigated in Australia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus in restaurants and cafés in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia.