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Use of calorie information at fast-food and chain restaurants among US Adults, 2009

CDC Obesity Study: Adult Use of Calorie Information in Fast-Food and Chain Restaurants

A new CDC study, published online this week in the Journal of Public Health, found in a population-based survey of Americans that almost all U.S. adults who read calorie information when it is available at fast-food and chain restaurants actually used the information. Researchers found that 95.4% of those who read calorie information used it at least sometimes when making their food choices. Researchers examined sociodemographic variables in a sample of 4,363 adults using the 2009 HealthStyles survey.  However, among the 3,512 who reported eating at fast-food and chain restaurants, only 36.4% reported reading calorie information when available. Reading calorie information however was not related to race, income or education.

The study also found the following:

• Women were nearly twice as likely to read calorie information when available compared to men.
• Adults who ate at fast food or chain restaurants 3 or more times per week were less likely to read calorie information than those going less than 4 times per month.

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For more Information:

• Download this full PDF of this study visit the Journal of Public Health
• Read more about menu labeling 
• CDC Overweight and Obesity

Use of calorie information at fast-food and chain restaurants among US Adults, 2009

1. Holly Wethington, Behavioral Scientist1⇑,
2. Leah M. Maynard, Epidemiologist1,
3. Christine Haltiwanger, Doctoral Candidate2 and
4. Heidi M. Blanck, Chief, Obesity Prevention and Control Branch1

+ Author Affiliations

1. ¹U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion/Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity/Obesity Prevention and Control Branch, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
2. ²Paul D. Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA

1. Address correspondence to Holly Wethington, E-mail: hwethington@cdc.gov

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Abstract

Background The aim of this study was to examine reading and use of calorie information at fast-food/chain restaurants.

Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a sample of 4363 US adults using the 2009 HealthStyles survey. The outcome variable was reading calorie information when available while ordering at fast-food/chain restaurants. Among those who go to fast-food/chain restaurants, we conducted multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between sociodemographic variables and reading calorie information when available. Among those who report reading calorie information when available, we assessed the proportion using calorie information.

Results Among those who reported eating at fast-food/chain restaurants, 36.4% reported reading calorie information when available. Reading calorie information was not related to race/ethnicity, income or education. Compared with men, women had higher odds [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5–2.1] of reading calorie information when available while those who frequented fast-food/chain restaurants ≥3 times/week (aOR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4–0.8) had lower odds compared with those going < 4 times/month. Of those who reported reading calorie information when available, 95.4% reported using calorie information at least sometimes.

Conclusions Almost all who read calorie information when available use the information at least sometimes. Research is needed on how calorie information is being used.

Key words

• Food and nutrition
• Individual behaviour
• Population-based and preventative services