title: What menu changes do restaurants make after joining a voluntary restaurant recognition program?
abstract: Programs that recognize restaurants for offering healthful options have emerged as a popular strategy to address the obesity epidemic; however, program fidelity and business responses to such programs are rarely assessed. This study sought to examine how retail restaurants in Los Angeles County chose to comply with participation criteria required by the Choose Health LA Restaurants initiative in the region; the program recognizes restaurants for offering reduced-size portions and healthy children's meals. Menus of all restaurants that joined within 1 year of program launch (n = 17 restaurant brands) were assessed for changes. Nine of the 17 brands made changes to their menus to meet participation criteria for reduced-size portions while 8 of the 10 restaurant brands that offered children's menus made changes to improve the healthfulness of children's meals. Results of this comparative assessment lend support to restaurant compliance with program criteria and menu improvements, even though they are voluntary, representing an important step toward implementing this strategy in the retail environment.
authors: Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA. Electronic address: lgase@ph.lacounty.gov.
authors: Lauren N
authors: LN
authors: Gase
authors: Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA.
authors: Mandip
authors: M
authors: Kaur
authors: Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA.
authors: Lauren
authors: L
authors: Dunning
authors: Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Montes
authors: Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA; Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Tony
authors: T
authors: Kuo
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D003132:Commerce; D004032:Diet; D005515:Food Labeling; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D062407:Meals; D008612:Menu Planning; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D064787:Portion Size; D012147:Restaurants; D035141:Voluntary Programs
keywords: Eating; Food industry; Obesity; Portion size; Restaurant program