The RAND researchers reported that only about 3 percent of the meals stayed within all three existing fat, sodium, and calorie guidelines.
A recent piece of research commissioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has drawn a good deal of media attention.
Conducted by analysts at the RAND Corporation, the study was designed to assess how restaurant meals measured up against USDA dietary guidelines for calories, fat, and sodium content, thus establishing baseline data prior to implementation of Federal nutrition labeling mandates.
One summary finding provided to be a particularly potent headline grabber. The RAND researchers reported that only about 3% of the meals stayed within all three existing fat, sodium, and calorie guidelines. Recasting the data, most media outlets ran story leads along the lines of "96% of restaurant entrees exceed USDA limits."
Looking behind the hype and examining the actual research findings, a majority of the restaurant entrees studied did stay within total calorie guidelines. It was sodium that proved to be the bad boy; only three percent of meals analyzed were within that suggested limit.
Also significant was an apparent correlation between the posting of salt, calorie, and fat content and the actual nutritional value of the menu items themselves. In those situations where such information was prominently publicized (either in-store or on-line) the menu items offered had lower overall calorie, sodium, and fat content.
The publication of this study has already reignited the debate on what role the restaurant industry should be playing in promoting good nutrition.
There's no denying that obesity is a major public health issue and that strict controls on restaurant meals might do much to combat the problem.
On the other hand, there are those who claim restaurants have no obligation beyond offering what customers want and are willing to buy. After all, more than two decades of effort on the part of the industry to get patrons to make healthy choices has mostly been in vain. Lo-cal, good-for-you menu innovations have rarely proved commercially viable.
The unanswered question is whether government mandates can bring about the changes in dining out behavior the free market hasn't been able to produce.