Healthy nutrition is essential for maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases. However, with the increase in dining out, the prevalence of obesity and related chronic diseases is increasing ...daily. Therefore, to provide adequate and balanced nutrition in public, it is necessary to serve healthy menus following the energy and nutrient requirements of the target group in food service institutions. However, menu planning in food services is a complex process involving several factors. The planned menus should provide sufficient nutrients for the target group and consider factors such as color, consistency, appearance, and a variety of food groups. In addition, existing studies have limited constraints, and the fact that they are not open-source makes it difficult to conduct more comprehensive new studies. Furthermore, the lack of dietitian opinions limits its applicability in practice. Therefore, this study applied four different multi-objective optimization algorithms (AGEMOEA, SMSEMOA, NSGA2, and NSGA3) to solve the menu planning problems. The results were shared with 20 food service dietitians who are experts in the area and were asked to score the menus. In addition, an open-source tool called EvoMeal has been developed. In conclusion, our primary findings showed that AGEMOEA and SMSEMOA were used for the first time in the literature for the menu planning problem, which is a multi-objective problem, and they performed better than both NSGA2 and NSGA3 in general. In addition, expert opinions confirmed that AGEMOEA and SMSEMOA give better results than other algorithms. However, future studies need to conduct a more comprehensive expert evaluation to increase its applicability to the field.
•An open-source tool was developed.•AGEMOEA and SMSEMOA were used for the menu planning problem for the first time.•New fitness functions were designed to solve the menu planning problem.•A new dataset were created consisting of a total of 332 dishes.•Menus were evaluated by dietitians.
Objective
To examine changes in children's meal orders, price, and revenue following the implementation of a healthier children's menu in a full‐service restaurant chain.
Methods
In April 2012, the ...healthier menu was implemented, featuring more meals meeting nutrition standards, healthy side dishes by default, and removal of French fries and soda (which could be substituted). Orders (n = 352,192) were analyzed before (September 2011 to March 2012; PRE) and after (September 2012 to March 2013; POST) implementation.
Results
Children's meal prices increased by $0.79 for breakfasts and $0.19 for non‐breakfast meals from PRE to POST. Revenue continued to increase post‐implementation. Orders of healthy meals, strawberry and vegetable sides, milk, and juice increased, and orders of French fries and soda decreased (P < 0.0001). Orders at POST were more likely to include healthy sides (P < 0.0001) and substitutions (P < 0.0001) and less likely to include a la carte sides (P < 0.0001) and desserts (P < 0.01), versus PRE. Total calories ordered by children accepting all defaults decreased (684.2 vs. 621.2; P < 0.0001) and did not change for those not accepting defaults (935.0 vs. 942.9; P = 0.57).
Conclusions
Healthy children's menu modifications were accompanied by healthier ordering patterns, without removing choice or reducing revenue, suggesting that they can improve child nutrition while restaurants remain competitive.
Large chain restaurants reduced the number of calories in newly introduced menu items in 2013 by about 60 calories (or 12%) relative to 2012. This paper describes trends in calories available in ...large U.S. chain restaurants to understand whether previously documented patterns persist.
Data (a census of items for included restaurants) were obtained from the MenuStat project. This analysis included 66 of the 100 largest U.S. restaurants that are available in all three of the data years (2012-2014; N=23,066 items). Generalized linear models were used to examine: (1) per-item calorie changes from 2012 to 2014 among items on the menu in all years; and (2) mean calories in new items in 2013 and 2014 compared with items on the menu in 2012 only. Data were analyzed in 2014.
Overall, calories in newly introduced menu items declined by 71 (or 15%) from 2012 to 2013 (p=0.001) and by 69 (or 14%) from 2012 to 2014 (p=0.03). These declines were concentrated mainly in new main course items (85 fewer calories in 2013 and 55 fewer calories in 2014; p=0.01). Although average calories in newly introduced menu items are declining, they are higher than items common to the menu in all 3 years. No differences in mean calories among items on menus in 2012, 2013, or 2014 were found.
The previously observed declines in newly introduced menu items among large restaurant chains have been maintained, which suggests the beginning of a trend toward reducing calories.
Supply-side reductions to the calories in chain restaurants are a possible benefit of upcoming menu labeling requirements.
To describe trends in calories available in large U.S. restaurants.
Data ...were obtained from the MenuStat project, a census of menu items in 66 of the 100 largest U.S. restaurant chains, for 2012 and 2013 (N=19,417 items). Generalized linear models were used to calculate (1) the mean change in calories from 2012 to 2013, among items on the menu in both years; and (2) the difference in mean calories, comparing newly introduced items to those on the menu in 2012 only (overall and between core versus non-core items). Data were analyzed in 2014.
Mean calories among items on menus in both 2012 and 2013 did not change. Large restaurant chains in the U.S. have recently had overall declines in calories in newly introduced menu items (-56 calories, 12% decline). These declines were concentrated mainly in new main course items (-67 calories, 10% decline). New beverage (-26 calories, 8% decline) and children's (-46 calories, 20% decline) items also had fewer mean calories. Among chain restaurants with a specific focus (e.g., burgers), average calories in new menu items not core to the business declined more than calories in core menu items.
Large chain restaurants significantly reduced the number of calories in newly introduced menu items. Supply-side changes to the calories in chain restaurants may have a significant impact on obesity prevention.
Objective
Obesity is a pressing public health problem without proven population‐wide solutions. Researchers sought to determine whether a city‐mandated policy requiring calorie labeling at fast food ...restaurants was associated with consumer awareness of labels, calories purchased and fast food restaurant visits.
Design and Methods
Difference‐in‐differences design, with data collected from consumers outside fast food restaurants and via a random digit dial telephone survey, before (December 2009) and after (June 2010) labeling in Philadelphia (which implemented mandatory labeling) and Baltimore (matched comparison city). Measures included: self‐reported use of calorie information, calories purchased determined via fast food receipts, and self‐reported weekly fast‐food visits.
Results
The consumer sample was predominantly Black (71%), and high school educated (62%). Postlabeling, 38% of Philadelphia consumers noticed the calorie labels for a 33% point (P < 0.001) increase relative to Baltimore. Calories purchased and number of fast food visits did not change in either city over time.
Conclusions
While some consumers report noticing and using calorie information, no population level changes were noted in calories purchased or fast food visits. Other controlled studies are needed to examine the longer term impact of labeling as it becomes national law.
Menu-based ‘nudges’ hold promise as effective ways to encourage a shift away from ruminant meat and towards more environmentally friendly plant-based food when dining out. One example of a menu-based ...nudge is including an inferior ‘decoy’ option to existing items on menus. Decoys have been shown to influence decision-making in other domains (e.g. Lichters, Bengart, Sarstedt, & Vogt, 2017), but have yet to be used to promote sustainable food choices. Two online randomized controlled trials tested whether the addition of higher priced ‘decoy’ vegetarian options on menus influenced the number of diners choosing a ‘target’ vegetarian option. Adjusted Generalized Estimating Equations on data from four menu conditions showed no main effect of the intervention in study 1 (decoy absent vs. decoy present; Odds Ratio (OR) 1.08 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.45 to 2.57). Replicating the trial in study 2 across seven menu conditions and testing a more expensive decoy also showed no main effect of the intervention decoy absent vs. decoy present; OR 0.68 (95% CI 0.41 to 1.12). Further analyses revealed that our price-based decoy strategy (a 30% price increase) did not significantly influence the number of people choosing the inferior decoy dish, possibly because dish choices were purely hypothetical. Further research is needed to clarify which attributes of a dish (e.g. taste, portion size, signature ingredients etc.) are optimal candidates for use as decoys and testing these in real world choice contexts.
Internationally, governments have implemented school-based nutrition policies to restrict the availability of unhealthy foods from sale. The aim of the trial was to assess the effectiveness of a ...multi-strategic intervention to increase implementation of a state-wide healthy canteen policy. The impact of the intervention on the energy, total fat, and sodium of children's canteen purchases and on schools' canteen revenue was also assessed.
Australian primary schools with a canteen were randomised to receive a 12-14-month, multi-strategic intervention or to a no intervention control group. The intervention sought to increase implementation of a state-wide healthy canteen policy which required schools to remove unhealthy items (classified as 'red' or 'banned') from regular sale and encouraged schools to 'fill the menu' with healthy items (classified as 'green'). The intervention strategies included allocation of a support officer to assist with policy implementation, engagement of school principals and parent committees, consensus processes with canteen managers, training, provision of tools and resources, academic detailing, performance feedback, recognition and marketing initiatives. Data were collected at baseline (April to September, 2013) and at completion of the implementation period (November, 2014 to April, 2015).
Seventy schools participated in the trial. Relative to control, at follow-up, intervention schools were significantly more likely to have menus without 'red' or 'banned' items (RR = 21.11; 95% CI 3.30 to 147.28; p ≤ 0.01) and to have at least 50% of menu items classified as 'green' (RR = 3.06; 95% CI 1.64 to 5.68; p ≤ 0.01). At follow-up, student purchases from intervention school canteens were significantly lower in total fat (difference = -1.51 g; 95% CI -2.84 to -0.18; p = 0.028) compared to controls, but not in energy (difference = -132.32 kJ; 95% CI -280.99 to 16.34; p = 0.080) or sodium (difference = -46.81 mg; 95% CI -96.97 to 3.35; p = 0.067). Canteen revenue did not differ significantly between groups.
Poor implementation of evidence-based school nutrition policies is a problem experienced by governments internationally, and one with significant implications for public health. The study makes an important contribution to the limited experimental evidence regarding strategies to improve implementation of school nutrition policies and suggests that, with multi-strategic support, implementation of healthy canteen policies can be achieved in most schools.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12613000311752 ).
Previous research has shown that restaurant menu design can influence food choices. However, it remains unknown whether such contextual effects on food selection are dependent on people's past ...behavior. In the present study, we focused on vegetarian food choices, given their important implications for the environment, and investigated whether the influence of different restaurant menus on the likelihood of selecting a vegetarian dish is moderated by the number of days on which people reported eating only vegetarian food during the previous week. In an online scenario, participants were randomly assigned to four different restaurant menu conditions—control (all dishes presented in the same manner), recommendation (vegetarian dish presented as chef's recommendation), descriptive (more appealing description of vegetarian dish), and vegetarian (vegetarian dishes placed in a separate section)—and ordered a dish for dinner. The results showed that the recommendation and descriptive menus increased the likelihood of vegetarian dish choices for infrequent eaters of vegetarian foods, whereas these effects tended to reverse for those who ate vegetarian meals more often. The vegetarian menu had no impact on the infrequent vegetarian eaters' choice but backfired for the frequent vegetarian eaters and made them less likely to order a vegetarian dish. These findings indicate that people's past behavior is an important determinant of the impact of nudging on food choices, and that achieving sustainable eating may require more personalized interventions.
Food choice behavior plays a large role in achieving sustainability goals. Meat in particular has a negative environmental impact as compared with plant-based food – and is more frequently chosen in ...restaurant contexts. To increase plant-based meal choices in restaurants, we tested three nudges for menus that are likely to be implemented by restaurant owners: a hedonic label (e.g., artisanal vegetable burger), a chef's recommendation (specifying the vegetarian option as the chef's favorite), and a salience nudge (a box around the vegetarian option). In an online experiment, we showed participants (n = 513) in four conditions (no nudge, hedonic label, chef's recommendation, and salience nudge) five menus with four meal options each, one of which was vegetarian. We asked participants to choose a meal and subsequently to rate these meals on how tasty and indulgent they were (taste and indulgence attributions). We then revealed which nudge was used to the participants and asked how participants received it. Results show that the hedonic label and chef's recommendation nudge (but not the salience nudge) both increase vegetarian meal choices. The hedonic label increased participants' attributions of indulgence of the meal, but not of tastiness. This finding fits with restaurants' gastronomic, pleasure-seeking context and shapes future directions of labeling interventions, namely that indulgence attributions can be increased in vegetarian foods. Furthermore, the nudges were generally well accepted and participants' intention to return to the (virtual) restaurant was high. Finally, customers expected the hedonic label nudge to be more effective in promoting vegetarian food choices than the other two nudges, partially corresponding with our findings of actual effectiveness.
Abstract Recent menu labeling initiatives in North America involve posting the calorie content of standard menu items, sometimes with other nutrients of public health concern, with or without ...contextual information (such as the recommended daily caloric intake for an average adult) or interpretive information (such as traffic light symbols). It is not clear whether this is an effective method to convey nutrition information to consumers wanting to make more-informed food choices. Of particular concern are those consumers who may be limited in their food and health literacy skills to make informed food choices to meet their dietary needs or goals. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether the provision of menu-based nutrition information affects the selection and consumption of calories in restaurants and other foodservice establishments. A secondary objective was to determine whether the format of the nutrition information (informative vs contextual or interpretive) influences calorie selection or consumption. Several bibliographic databases were searched for experimental or quasiexperimental studies that tested the effect of providing nutrition information in a restaurant or other foodservice setting on calories selected or consumed. Studies that recruited generally healthy, noninstitutionalized adolescents or adults were included. When two or more studies reported similar outcomes and sufficient data were available, meta-analysis was performed. Menu labeling with calories alone did not have the intended effect of decreasing calories selected or consumed (–31 kcal P =0.35 and –13 kcal P =0.61, respectively). The addition of contextual or interpretive nutrition information on menus appeared to assist consumers in the selection and consumption of fewer calories (–67 kcal P =0.008 and –81 kcal P =0.007, respectively). Sex influenced the effect of menu labeling on selection and consumption of calories, with women using the information to select and consume fewer calories. The findings of this review support the inclusion of contextual or interpretive nutrition information with calories on restaurant menus to help consumers select and consume fewer calories when eating outside the home. Further exploration is needed to determine the optimal approach for providing this menu-based nutrition information, particularly for those consumers who may be limited in their food and health literacy skills.
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