More than three-quarters of the best-selling dishes sold by takeaways, restaurants and coffee chains are unhealthy, according to government guidelines, a new study has found.
Popular products such as pizza, hamburgers, chicken dishes, fries and baguettes contain dangerously high levels of fat, salt, sugar or calories that could be harmful to health, the researchers say.
They reached their “hugely alarming” conclusions after analysing the nutritional content of the 10 best-selling items purchased from 19 of the UK’s largest out-of-home stores, including chains such as Subway, Pizza Express, McDonald’s, Greggs, Starbucks and Pret a Manger.
Somewhere between 46% and 78% of the 190 dishes examined were considered unhealthy, depending on which of three different government-backed ways of rating the nutritional quality of food was used. These were the long-established nutrient profiling model, the traffic light labels used by many supermarkets, and the statistics that underpin the sugar tax and previous government efforts to encourage food manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt, sugar or calories in their products.
The findings have led to renewed calls for ministers to force the food industry to make its products healthier, as poor diets are a major cause of cancer, heart disease and other deadly illnesses.
“The dominance of unhealthy food and drink in the out-of-home sector is hugely alarming. Although healthier options exist, this food environment makes it difficult for people to make healthier choices,” said Dr Monique Tan, a lecturer in public health nutrition at Queen Mary University of London, who led the research.
The unhealthy nature of so many of the most popular products at sit-in and takeaway chains is a particular concern as people in Britain increasingly eat out. They are estimated to visit out-of-home stores 2.4 billion times a year.
The food bought in these stores accounts for as much as 11% to 25% of the calories Britons consume, with more than half of that coming from the larger chains. other research has found.
“What we eat when we are out depends entirely on what is available and affordable. The problem is that much of the food is not healthy,” Tan added.
“People used to see eating out as an occasional treat and that is no longer the case. As a nation, we are eating more and more out of home food. Since the majority of food available out of home is not healthy, chances are that when you eat out or get takeaway, you are eating food that is harmful to your health.”
Tan identified five dishes that were found to be unhealthy according to all different parameters and combinations thereof: Pizza Hut’s Pepperoni Party Pizza, Burger King’s Memphis BBQ king double, Nando’s fine pitta with grilled chicken and halloumi cheese, halloumi style fries at Wetherspoon’s pubs and Pret a Manger’s ham and Grevé baguette.
They were classified as unhealthy because of their “unbalanced nutritional profiles” – containing high amounts of calories, sugar, saturated fat or salt and low amounts of fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables and nuts per 100 grams, Tan said.
The large portions offered by some chains also leave diners consuming high amounts of salt, sugar, fat or calories, the research team added in a 22-page report detailing their findings. They also included experts from food advocacy groups Action on Sugar, the Obesity Health Alliance and Bite Back, the campaigning arm of Jamie Oliver’s organization.
According to research published in the Guardian in June, some takeaway meals contain more calories in one sitting than the recommended amount (2,000 for women and 2,500 for men) that someone should eat in an entire day.
The researchers also found that only one of the 19 companies studied – Pret a Manger – publicly provided information on the nutritional makeup of its products. Thirteen did not provide ingredient information, 11 did not say what the nutritional makeup was per 100 grams and nine did not indicate how much fibre they had put in.
Dr Kawther Hashem, head of research and impact at Action on Sugar, said it was “absurd” that consumers know what is in the food they buy in supermarkets, but “when we eat out we are left in the dark. If companies continue to hide their nutritional information, there is little hope for consumers to choose healthier options.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.
Earlier this year, Wes Streeting, then Labour’s shadow health minister, said: publicly warned “very manipulative” food companies that had to reformulate their products to make them healthier. “You either get on the steamroller or you get under it,” he said.
However, Labour’s election manifesto contained no plans to achieve that goal.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, an organisation representing the out-of-home sector, pointed out that the research had found that a majority (54%) of the 190 products were healthy, according to the nutrient profile model adopted by the government in 2004.
“Hospitality strives to provide customers with a wide range of options to choose from, from a salad for lunch to a treat for a special occasion, ensuring that there are healthy and nutritious options on their menus.
“By law, all companies analyzed in this report must list the number of calories next to each menu item. Others go a step further by providing more nutritional information so customers can make informed decisions.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This Government will take action to prevent disease and tackle the obesity crisis head-on, protecting the NHS and helping people live better for longer.
“We will shift our focus from treatment to prevention by introducing strict restrictions on junk food advertising and banning children from buying sugary, caffeinated energy drinks.”
Dr. Monique Tan, the lead researcher, gave the following five dishes as examples of the products sold in “out of home” stores that emerged from the analysis as unhealthy, as assessed by the three different government-approved methods of nutritional measurement. They all have an “unbalanced nutritional profile.”
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Pizza Hut’s Pepperoni Feast – “Excessive” amounts of total fat, saturated fat and salt and more calories than considered ideal according to government guidelines
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Burger King’s Memphis BBQ king double – too much total fat, saturated fat and salt
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Fino pitta at Nando’s – high levels of total fat, saturated fat and salt, and also too many calories
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Halloumi-style fries at JD Wetherspoon – “excessive” amounts of salt, saturated fat and total fat
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Pret a Manger’s ham and Greve baguette – too high in salt, saturated fat and total fat, as well as too many calories, as assessed using official nutritional analysis criteria