An Auckland nutritionist is calling for fast food chains to make takeaways healthier and for the Government to give the industry guidelines after research found significant increases in the serving size, energy and sodium levels of New Zealand fast food over five years.
Nutritionist and researcher Dr Helen Eyles led the University of Auckland study that included almost 5500 fast food products with nutrition information across 12 food groups and 10 major fast food chains from 2012 to 2016.
Across all products, researchers found a five per cent increase in serve size, a six per cent increase in energy density, a 14 per cent increase in energy per serve, and a 12 per cent increase in sodium per serve. Sodium density did not change significantly.
Dr Eyles says the most worrying trend was in serve size. The five per cent increase over the five-year period, which increased the amount of energy and sodium per serve, may have also increased other nutrients not measured, such as sugar, she said.
Dr Eyles says an important consideration from the study is the impact on young people, the highest consumers of fast foods.
National Nutrition Survey data found 38 per cent of 15 to 18 year olds and 42 per cent of 18 to 30 year olds had consumed fast food in the past month. These figures are also likely to be conservative given the survey was undertaken in 2008/09, she said.
Dr Eyles says our fast food chains should make changes in line with the 'Healthy Kids Industry' pledge made as part of the Government's childhood obesity plan, including measurable reductions to the serve size and improvements to the overall healthiness of products.
She also hopes the study will encourage the Government to develop and implement guidelines for the fast food industry.
"Implementation of Government-led targets for the serve size, energy and nutrient content of fast food products could improve the composition of New Zealand fast foods and population diets."
For some food groups, large negative changes were seen for several of the measures.
Serve size, energy per serve and sodium per serve had gone up in desserts and pizzas, and sodium density, energy per serve and sodium per serve had gone up in sandwiches and salads.
However, there was some good news from the study with Asian fast food products displaying large significant decreases in serve size and energy per serve over the five years.
Also, when researchers looked for potential improvements in products available for sale over two or more of the five years they found a reduction in sodium density, which indicated some positive change or reformulation over time.
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