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Are Full-Service Restaurant Food Healthier Than Fast Food? Fast food restaurants have always been blamed as the culprits that cause obesity epidemic by supplying to public food that is of high fat and high salt (sodium). Unhealthy food like this could raise the risk of overweight and obesity that in turn can trigger many disorders including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and even certain kinds of cancer. Naturally, people might think that foods served in full-service restaurants should be healthier than those from the fast food chains. In a latest study published July 1, 2015 in the ‘European Journal of Clinical Nutrition’, researchers from kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign advocated that home cooking is still the best way to control the calories, fat, sugar and other nutrients for people. The study used and analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003 - 2010 that regularly gathers health and dietary information from a representative sample of the United States population. A total of 18 098 adults aged 18 years and above answered answered survey questions about what they had eaten over a 2-day period. About a third of participants reported eating fast food on one or both days, and one quarter reported eating full-service restaurant food on at least one day. Compared to participants who ate food prepared at home, those who visited fast food restaurants consumed an average of 190 more calories per day, 11 grams more fat, 3.5 grams more saturated fat, 10 milligrams extra cholesterol and 300 milligrams additional sodium, and those who dined at full-service restaurants consumed about 187 more calories per day, 10 more grams of fat, 2.5 grams more saturated fat, almost 60 milligrams more cholesterol and over 400 milligrams more sodium.
Analysis also showed that participants with the least education got the daily total calories from fast food consumption and those in the middle-income range were more likely to get their extra calories from full-service restaurants. Participants who were obese were more likely to consume extra calories from full-service restaurants, comparing to those who were normal weight or overweight. When comparing calorie and nutrient intake of restaurant food taken home to eat, the researchers found that there the difference was not much between eating fast food out or at home. However, full-service restaurant meals consumed at home had about 80 fewer calories, slightly less fat and about 80 milligrams less sodium. Restaurants with 20 or more locations are required by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to provide calorie and nutrient content in the menu labeling. Most full-service restaurants, however, do not require to do so. Obviously, people who dine at full-service restaurants are not aware of the calorie and nutrient content in the food served and tend to overeat and consume more calories than they thought. On the other hand, people know exactly the contents of the foods they are eating when preparing their own meals at home. People are in control of the type of food they want to eat and can always make healthy substitutions, for instance, swapping out full-fat cheese for reduced fat versions. Nevertheless, eating outside the home is sometimes inevitable. Hence, people should cultivate certain habits that could help curb the calories. For example, people could ask how menu items are prepared and try to stick to those that are baked, broiled, grilled or steamed. Dishes containing vegetables are good as vegetables let people feel full without adding many more calories, or people can ask the restaurant to add vegetables if the dish does not include them. Sometimes, if the meal ordered is too large, it might be a good idea to ask for a to-go container and pack up half of the meal right away or people can simply share the food with their companion. Last but not least, people should take time to chew and taste their food and they will definitely eat less and enjoy their meal even more.
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