KEY POINTS:
So-called "healthy options" on fast-food restaurant menus are misleading and confusing, say dietitians and obesity experts, who want independent criteria to ensure the claims are not exaggerated.
A Herald on Sunday investigation has revealed some so-called healthy choices are nutritionally similar to - and in some cases worse than - the regular burgers and soft drinks.
A Banana Berry Smoothie, marketed by McDonald's as a "lighter choice" with its low-fat deli rolls, contains almost 300 calories, double that of a medium Coke. In fact, it contains fat (3g) and more sugar (48.1g) than the soft drink. McDonald's Beef 'n' BBQ deli roll has only two fewer calories than a Big Mac, and twice the sugar - 13.5g.
Executive director of the Dietetic Association, Jan Milne, was shocked at the nutritional content of the smoothie. "It's obviously a McDonald's criteria as to what's healthy, and what's not."
Milne said an "externally agreed upon" set of criteria was needed to reduce the "extreme confusion" about the labelling of foods as "healthy".
"In reality, how much different are they from the normal menu?"
Still, she commended restaurants such as McDonald's and Subway - which this week launched a Fresh Fit menu of low-fat sandwiches and sides - for offering at least some lighter choices, while others such as Burger King and KFC, lagged behind.
Dr Robyn Toomath, spokeswoman for Fight the Obesity Epidemic, agreed an outside set of criteria would be helpful. She favoured a "traffic light" system on food packaging, as recommended to a parliamentary health select committee
If restaurants really wanted to make a difference, she said, they would reduce portions and reformulate recipes, "so people don't have to choose the healthier option". She doubted whether those options were having any effect on obesity levels, and said menu changes probably helped only to increase brand awareness.
Meanwhile, an American study by the Journal of Consumer Research has found many consumers are kidding themselves when it comes to trying to eat healthily at fast-food restaurants. Participants chose beverages, side dishes and desserts containing up to 131 per cent more calories, as "rewards" when the main dish was described as "healthy".
Justin Watson, director of marketing at McDonald's Restaurants NZ, told the Herald on Sunday that healthier options, including Sprite Zero, salads, and lighter choices such as deli rolls, now comprised 20 per cent of sales. "They are becoming increasingly more popular, though some of them are slow starters."
He said two of the eight deli rolls were marketed as "lighter choices", because they contained less than 9g of fat. He doubted whether the American findings applied to consumers here.
"People are pretty well-educated. If they are choosing a healthy option, they tend to choose across the board."
He acknowledged the smoothie was higher in fat, sugar and calories than a Coke, but said the sugar was because of the fruit, and the fat because of the dairy, which had other nutritional values, such as calcium.
