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. 2021 Jul 7;13(7):2329.
doi: 10.3390/nu13072329.

Menu Engineering and Dietary Behavior Impact on Young Adults' Kilocalorie Choice

Christine Bergman  1 , Yuan Tian  1 , Andrew Moreo  2 , Carola Raab  1
Affiliations

Menu Engineering and Dietary Behavior Impact on Young Adults' Kilocalorie Choice

Christine Bergman et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The obesity pandemic is associated with increased consumption of restaurant food. Labeling of menus is an intervention used to provide consumers with kilocalorie (calorie) information in hopes of them making healthier food choices. This study evaluated the relationship between young adults' calorie choices on restaurant menus and menu design, dietary behaviors, and demographic characteristics. A 3 (fast-casual restaurants) × 4 (menu-designs based on menu engineering theories) between-subjects (n = 480, 18-24-year olds) experimental design was used. The relationship between the participants' calorie choices (high versus low) and menu design, stage of change, gender, race, educational level and weight status was evaluated using logistic regression. All independent variables had at least one category that had greater odds (CI 95% ± 5%) of subjects choosing a lower calorie entree, except education level and race/ethnic group. Normal weight and overweight subjects had greater odds of choosing lower calorie entrees than those that were obese. In addition, subjects that had started to control their calorie intake for less than six months or had sustained this change for at least six months, had greater odds of choosing lower calorie entrees compared to others. Including a green symbol and calories on fast casual restaurant menus may influence some young adults to choose lower calorie entrees.

Keywords: calories; menu; menu engineering; nutrition labeling; obesity; stages of change; young adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest. The College of Hospitality administration (i.e., internal grant managers) had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Asian Fusion Control Menu.
Figure A2
Figure A2
Asian Fusion First and Last Menu.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Asian Fusion Sweet Spot Menu.
Figure A4
Figure A4
Asian Fusion Light and Fresh Menu.
Figure A5
Figure A5
California Cafe Control Menu.
Figure A6
Figure A6
California Cafe First and Last Menu.
Figure A7
Figure A7
California Cafe Sweet Spot Menu.
Figure A8
Figure A8
California Cafe Light and Fresh Menu.
Figure A9
Figure A9
Urban Mexican Control Menu.
Figure A10
Figure A10
Urban Mexican First and Last Menu.
Figure A11
Figure A11
Urban Mexican Sweet Spot Menu.
Figure A12
Figure A12
Urban Mexican Light and Fresh Menu.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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