Availability and accessibility of healthier options and nutrition information at New Zealand fast food restaurants

The aim of this study was to assess the availability of healthier options and nutrition information at major New Zealand fast food chains. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken at 24 fast food stores (two from each of 12 major chains) using on-site visits, telephone calls, and website searches. Of available products, only 234/1126 (21%) were healthier options. Healthier options were generally cheaper and lower in energy, total fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium per serve than their regular counterparts. Regular options were commonly high in sugar or sodium per serve (mean sugar content of beverages = 56 g (11 teaspoons) and sodium content of burgers and pasta = 1095 mg and 1172 mg, respectively). Nutrition information was available at 11/12 (92%) restaurant chains (range = 0% at Tank Juice to 99% at Domino’s Pizza). However, <1% of this information was available at the point-of-purchase. Therefore, there is huge potential for improving nutrition in the New Zealand fast food restaurant setting. Implications of these findings for policy and food industry include: consideration of mandatory menu labelling, increasing the percentage of healthier options available, and improving the nutrient content of regular options at New Zealand fast food restaurants.

► A cross-sectional survey was undertaken at 12 major New Zealand fast food chains.
► Twenty-one percent (234/1126) of all available products were healthier options.
► Healthier options were generally cheaper than regular options.
► Nutrition information was available at 11/12 fast food chains.
► Less than 1% of nutrition information was available at the point-of-purchase.