Friction variation in assessing slipperiness in fast-food restaurants in the USA

Objective: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the effects of state-level socioeconomic status (SES), the density of fast food restaurants and walking to work on body mass index (BMI) among US adults aged 50 years and older. The study sought further to account for the interaction effects of three different hierarchical levels of variables, including time-varying variables and time-invariant variables such as individual and state-level variables. Confounding related to environmental/neighbourhood effects was controlled for through sample selection. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2000–2010 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the 2010 US Census. HRS survey participants aged 50 years and older in 2000, residing in the same census tract during 2000–2010 ( N = 6,156) comprised the study sample. A three-level growth model was fitted to BMI trajectories. Results: BMI significantly increased over time showing both a linear and quadratic decelerating trajectory ( p < .001) where BMI grew faster among sampled adults in their early 50s. Women living in the US states with a lower state-level SES had higher BMIs, while men with higher state-level SES had a higher BMI ( b = −.242, p = .013). In states with a higher proportion of people who walked to work, Hispanics had higher BMIs at baseline and a lower BMI growth rate, compared with non-Hispanic whites ( b = −.033, p < .001). Conclusions: Obesity interventions specific to adults aged 50 years and older require greater emphasis. Potential health inequalities regarding weight gain can be ameliorated through tailoring interventions based on sex, environmental and state-level SES influences.

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Service quality in the USA and mainland China's fast-food restaurants

International Journal of Services and Standards ◽

10.1504/ijss.2009.032174 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 291 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Hong Qin ◽

Victor R. Prybutok ◽

Daniel A. Peak

Keyword(s):

Service Quality ◽

Fast Food ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants

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Changes in the nutritional quality of fast-food items marketed at restaurants, 2010v.2013

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980018000629 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (11) ◽

pp. 2117-2127 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jackie Soo ◽

Jennifer L Harris ◽

Kirsten K Davison ◽

David R Williams ◽

Christina A Roberto

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Fast Food Restaurant ◽

Nutrient Profile ◽

Food Items ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants ◽

Changes Over Time ◽

Over Time

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the nutritional quality of menu items promoted in four (US) fast-food restaurant chains (McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell) in 2010 and 2013.DesignMenu items pictured on signs and menu boards were recorded at 400 fast-food restaurants across the USA. The Nutrient Profile Index (NPI) was used to calculate overall nutrition scores for items (higher scores indicate greater nutritional quality) and was dichotomized to denote healthierv.less healthy items. Changes over time in NPI scores and energy of promoted foods and beverages were analysed using linear regression.SettingFour hundred fast-food restaurants (McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell; 100 locations per chain).SubjectsNPI of fast-food items marketed at fast-food restaurants.ResultsPromoted foods and beverages on general menu boards and signs remained below the ‘healthier’ cut-off at both time points. On general menu boards, pictured items became modestly healthier from 2010 to 2013, increasing (mean (se)) by 3·08 (0·16) NPI score points (P<0·001) and decreasing (mean (se)) by 130 (15) kJ (31·1 (3·65) kcal;P<0·001). This pattern was evident in all chains except Taco Bell, where pictured items increased in energy. Foods and beverages pictured on the kids’ section showed the greatest nutritional improvements. Although promoted foods on general menu boards and signs improved in nutritional quality, beverages remained the same or became worse.ConclusionsFoods, and to a lesser extent, beverages, promoted on menu boards and signs in fast-food restaurants showed limited improvements in nutritional quality in 2013v.2010.

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Friction Variation in Assessing Slipperiness in Fast-Food Restaurants in the USA

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193120605001909 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 50 (19) ◽

pp. 2232-2236

Author(s):

Wen-Ruey Chang ◽

Yueng-Hsiang Huang ◽

Kai Way Li ◽

Alfred Filiaggi ◽

Theodore K. Courtney

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants

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4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), a toxic aldehyde, in French fries from fast food restaurants in the USA

Free Radical Biology and Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2012.08.043 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. S250

Author(s):

A.S. Csallany ◽

I. Han ◽

D.W. Shoeman ◽

C. Chen

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

French Fries ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants

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Objective and subjective measurements of slipperiness in fast-food restaurants in the USA and their comparison with the previous results obtained in Taiwan

Safety Science ◽

10.1016/j.ssci.2006.06.001 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 44 (10) ◽

pp. 891-903 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Wen-Ruey Chang ◽

Kai Way Li ◽

Yueng-Hsiang Huang ◽

Alfred Filiaggi ◽

Theodore K. Courtney

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants ◽

Subjective Measurements

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Fourteen-year trends in sodium content of menu offerings at eight leading fast-food restaurants in the USA

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001300236x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 1682-1688 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Amanda Rudelt ◽

Simone French ◽

Lisa Harnack

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

Sodium Content ◽

Nutrient Composition ◽

University Of Minnesota ◽

Time Period ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants ◽

Side Dishes ◽

The University ◽

Specific Food

AbstractObjectiveTo examine changes in the Na content of lunch/dinner menu offerings at eight of the leading fast-food restaurants in the USA between 1997/1998 and 2009/2010.DesignMenu offerings and nutrient composition information for the menu items were obtained from archival versions of the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center (NCC) Food and Nutrient Database. Nutrient composition information for lunch/dinner menu items sold by the fast-food restaurants included in the present study was updated in the database biannually. Menus were analysed for changes in mean Na content of all menu offerings (except beverages) and specific categories of menu items among all restaurants and for each individual restaurant.SettingUSA.SubjectsLunch/dinner food menu of eight leading US fast-food restaurants.ResultsBetween 1997/1998 and 2009/2010 the mean Na content of menu offerings across the eight restaurants increased by 23·4 %. Examining specific food categories, mean Na content of entrées by increased 17·2 % and that of condiments increased by 26·1 %. Only side dishes showed a decrease of 6·6 %. None of the restaurants examined had a decrease in Na across the lunch/dinner menu offerings over the 14 years examined.ConclusionsResults suggest that over the time period studied there has been no meaningful reduction in the Na content of lunch/dinner menu offerings at the leading fast-food restaurants examined in the present study.

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Assessing slipperiness in fast-food restaurants in the USA using friction variation, friction level and perception rating

Applied Ergonomics ◽

10.1016/j.apergo.2007.08.004 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 359-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Wen-Ruey Chang ◽

Yueng-Hsiang Huang ◽

Kai Way Li ◽

Alfred Filiaggi ◽

Theodore K. Courtney

Keyword(s):

Fast Food ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants

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Fast-food menu offerings vary in dietary quality, but are consistently poor

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980012005563 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 924-931 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Sharon I Kirkpatrick ◽

Jill Reedy ◽

Lisa L Kahle ◽

Jennifer L Harris ◽

Punam Ohri-Vachaspati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Fast Food ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Whole Grains ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Food Chains ◽

Added Sugars ◽

The Usa ◽

Fast Food Restaurants

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate five popular fast-food chains’ menus in relation to dietary guidance.DesignMenus posted on chains’ websites were coded using the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies and MyPyramid Equivalents Database to enable Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) scores to be assigned. Dollar or value and kids’ menus and sets of items promoted as healthy or nutritious were also assessed.SettingFive popular fast-food chains in the USA.SubjectsNot applicable.ResultsFull menus scored lower than 50 out of 100 possible points on the HEI-2005. Scores for Total Fruit, Whole Grains and Sodium were particularly dismal. Compared with full menus, scores on dollar or value menus were 3 points higher on average, whereas kids’ menus scored 10 points higher on average. Three chains marketed subsets of items as healthy or nutritious; these scored 17 points higher on average compared with the full menus. No menu or subset of menu items received a score higher than 72 out of 100 points.ConclusionsThe poor quality of fast-food menus is a concern in light of increasing away-from-home eating, aggressive marketing to children and minorities, and the tendency for fast-food restaurants to be located in low-income and minority areas. The addition of fruits, vegetables and legumes; replacement of refined with whole grains; and reformulation of offerings high in sodium, solid fats and added sugars are potential strategies to improve fast-food offerings. The HEI may be a useful metric for ongoing monitoring of fast-food menus.

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