Restaurants Cut Calories 12 Percent in Menu Survey

On October 10, 2014, in Restaurant News, by Kourtney Determan

A census of menus at the 66 largest U.S. restaurant chains found a reduction of calories in new items. New menu items contained 12 percent fewer calories, with the biggest changes coming in new main course items, beverages, and children’s items. “These results have implications for obesity. If the average calories consumed at each visit were reduced by approximately 60 calories (the average decline observed in newly introduced menu items in 2013), the population impact on obesity could be significant,” according to an article in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.  The article also notes that caloric content of meals from most restaurants remain quite high.