MOST kids’ meals sold in chain restaurants are too high in calories, fat or salt, a study reveals.
Researchers say the firms are fuelling the obesity crisis by making it hard to eat healthily away from home.
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The study found a typical meal for six to 12-year-olds was 19% over calorie guidlinesIt comes after they analysed 39,266 meal combinations on the children’s menu at 20 leading eateries — including McDonald’s, KFC, Nando’s, Harvester, Brewers Fayre, Pizza Hut and Zizzi.
The average meal for kids aged two to five had 609 calories, 67 per cent more than the 364 official guidelines.
And a typical meal for six to 12-year-olds had 653 calories, 19 per cent more than the recommended 550.
Some 87 per cent of meals for young kids busted calorie guidelines, with 68 per cent fat, 89 per cent saturated fat and 91 per cent salt.
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The figures for older children’s meals were 66 per cent, 55 per cent, 87 per cent and 63 per cent, respectively, Roehampton University’s study found.
Meals from fast food restaurants contained fewer calories, less fat and less salt than full-service, sit-down ones. Some chains were healthier but the study does not identify those who performed better or worse.
Study leader Dr Sue Reeves said: “Meals on kids’ menus in restaurants are typically higher than recommended for energy, total and saturated fat, and salt.”
Example meal
Harvester has one menu for children aged seven and under and another “for older kids”.
An older kid could order a “build your own” chicken wrap, with a side of sweet potato fries and half a corn on the cob for £5.99.
This contains 730 calories, 34.5g of fat, 11.7g of saturated fat, and 1.9g of salt.
They could also order a rocky horror sundae for £2.29, which includes ice cream, a chocolate fudge brownie, cream, flake and cone.
This contains 446 calories, 22.9g of fat, 13.5g of saturated fat and 0.3g of salt.
This totals 1,176 calories, 57.4g of fat, 25.2g of saturated fat and 2.2g of salt, excluding a drink.
