Children’s menus in shopping centre restaurants
A multicentric study
Bibliographic Data
Purpose The aim of this study is to identify and characterize kids' menu offer in fast-food and traditional restaurants located in shopping centres in five different countries. Design/methodology/approach An observational cross-sectional study is carried out, though a study was performed in all restaurants located in shopping centres from main cities, in five countries: Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Hungary and Portugal. A tool for assessing the quality of menus is used for the analysis (Kids Menu Healthy Score (KIMEHS)). Menu prices between countries were compared. Findings A total of 192 kids' menus were collected, 44 in Portugal, 57 in Brazil, 66 in Chile, 15 in Hungary and 10 in Croatia. All the countries have average negative KIMEHS values for the menus, indicating that the offer is generally poor in terms of healthy options. The cost of children's menus in European countries is generally low. In Brazil, the price is significantly more expensive, which may limit the accessibility by social economically deprived populations. No significant differences were found in the average cost of meals from different restaurants typology. Traditional/Western restaurants present the highest price. Practical implications Globally, kids' menus are composed by unhealthy food items, pointing to the need of improvements in food availability, aiming to promote healthy food habits among children. Originality/value This study presents innovative data on children's menus, allowing for characterization of meals offered to children and comparison between different countries. Key points Kids’ menus are composed by unhealthy food items. Improvement of kids' menus quality will promote children food habits. Healthier out-of-home food consumption will contribute to public health
Advertising · Business · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Geography · Healthy food · Observational study · Originality · Quality (philosophy) · Typology · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Food Science · Marketing · Medicine · Nutritional Studies and Diet · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology
Individual and Environmental Influences on Adolescent Eating Behaviors
Fast-Food and Full-Service Restaurant Consumption Among Children and Adolescents
The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change
Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children
Development of Eating Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents
Factors Influencing Food Choices of Adolescents
Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015
Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016
Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017
Children’s Intake of Food from Non-Fast-Food Outlets and Child-Specific Menus
Changes in the nutritional quality of fast-food items marketed at restaurants, 2010 v. 2013
Nutritional quality of meals offered to children (kids’ meals) at chain restaurants in Japan
Consumer food choices
Gauging attitudes and behaviours
Promoting healthier children's meals at quick-service and full-service restaurants
The role of food experiences during early childhood in food pleasure learning
Examining community and consumer food environments for children
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |