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Kiddy Menus Packed with Unhealthy Foods

Aired February 24, 2004 - 11:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It's almost the lunch hour in the East. Do you know what is on your child's plate?
Obesity is exploding among young people. And health experts point to fatty, salty, sugary, low-nutrition meals that are common fare at many popular restaurants.

The consumer group -- you know them; they exposed movie theater popcorn and Chinese food -- has now raided kids menus at 20 restaurants.

Martha Wootan is director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. She is in our Washington bureau this morning to talk about those findings for today's "Daily Dose" segment.

Good morning.

MARTHA WOOTAN, DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION POLICY, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: Good morning.

KAGAN: So you take your kids to the restaurant, and they hand you the kiddy menu. Your group is saying there are plenty of sins, at least nutritional sins, on these menus, most of them, in general.

WOOTAN: You know, I knew as a mom, you look at these menus. Oftentimes, there's not a single healthy option on the children's menu at sit-down chain restaurants.

You know, you expect that from a fast food restaurant. But you think when you go to a sit-down chain, you should get healthier options.

But unfortunately, usually children's menus are full of foods that are high in calories and high in artery-clogging fat. It's pizza, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, and other foods you'd rather your child eat less of.

KAGAN: But there are -- There is some good news out there. And there are some restaurants that are offering healthy alternatives. What are some of the chains that are doing it right?

WOOTAN: Well, the chain that's doing it the best is Red Lobster, where they actually are offering half of the items on the children's menu are healthy options.

There are steamed crab legs and grilled chicken and grilled fish. And it doesn't come by French fries by default, which is usually what happens on children's menus, but it comes with a side order of vegetables, which kids need to eat more of.

KAGAN: OK. Now, let's just be realistic here for a second. If I take one of my nephews, you take your kids to the restaurant and say, "Hey, how about crab legs and salad, or a hot dog and French fries," which one do you think they're going to eat?

WOOTAN: Well, you know, beef products don't have to be that bad. There's a lot of ways that restaurants could improve the offerings.

They could use leaner meat. They could fry their French fries in healthier vegetable oil instead of the vegetable shortening and the beef tallow which they use now, which means the French fries are as bad for your children as the burgers.

They could serve more reasonable portion sizes. And they could offer healthier options. It's not that kids will never eat healthy foods. It's just that, you know, if they're given a choice between French fries and the vegetable of the day, they're going to choose French fries.

But they need to have a range of healthy options so that parents have a choice. Restaurants also need to do a better job at providing nutrition information right on the menu so that parents can make their own choice.

You know, parents certainly know that the macaroni and cheese is not as healthful as grilled chicken tenderloin. But I think most would be very surprised to learn that the macaroni and cheese has four times as many calories. Since the calories aren't even on the menu, parents don't even know what they're giving to their children.

KAGAN: I think perhaps getting them cheese isn't a good option.

I guess the message is: one, that there are choices out there. Parents need to be consumer advocates for their kids.

And also, in terms of the big chicken or the egg picture here, the kids want the grease, but we're developing those palates for them are, aren't we? We're teaching them to eat poorly.

WOOTAN: Parents need to do, you know, a good job in feeding their children well. But they also need to ask Congress and restaurants to do more to help make it easier to feed their children well, to provide calorie labeling right n the menus and to urge the restaurants to offer healthier options and to make the options that are currently there healthier.

KAGAN: Martha Wootan, thanks for stopping by right before lunch.

WOOTAN: It was nice to be here.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. We'll try to make good choices later today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 24, 2004 - 11:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It's almost the lunch hour in the East. Do you know what is on your child's plate?
Obesity is exploding among young people. And health experts point to fatty, salty, sugary, low-nutrition meals that are common fare at many popular restaurants.

The consumer group -- you know them; they exposed movie theater popcorn and Chinese food -- has now raided kids menus at 20 restaurants.

Martha Wootan is director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. She is in our Washington bureau this morning to talk about those findings for today's "Daily Dose" segment.

Good morning.

MARTHA WOOTAN, DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION POLICY, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: Good morning.

KAGAN: So you take your kids to the restaurant, and they hand you the kiddy menu. Your group is saying there are plenty of sins, at least nutritional sins, on these menus, most of them, in general.

WOOTAN: You know, I knew as a mom, you look at these menus. Oftentimes, there's not a single healthy option on the children's menu at sit-down chain restaurants.

You know, you expect that from a fast food restaurant. But you think when you go to a sit-down chain, you should get healthier options.

But unfortunately, usually children's menus are full of foods that are high in calories and high in artery-clogging fat. It's pizza, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, and other foods you'd rather your child eat less of.

KAGAN: But there are -- There is some good news out there. And there are some restaurants that are offering healthy alternatives. What are some of the chains that are doing it right?

WOOTAN: Well, the chain that's doing it the best is Red Lobster, where they actually are offering half of the items on the children's menu are healthy options.

There are steamed crab legs and grilled chicken and grilled fish. And it doesn't come by French fries by default, which is usually what happens on children's menus, but it comes with a side order of vegetables, which kids need to eat more of.

KAGAN: OK. Now, let's just be realistic here for a second. If I take one of my nephews, you take your kids to the restaurant and say, "Hey, how about crab legs and salad, or a hot dog and French fries," which one do you think they're going to eat?

WOOTAN: Well, you know, beef products don't have to be that bad. There's a lot of ways that restaurants could improve the offerings.

They could use leaner meat. They could fry their French fries in healthier vegetable oil instead of the vegetable shortening and the beef tallow which they use now, which means the French fries are as bad for your children as the burgers.

They could serve more reasonable portion sizes. And they could offer healthier options. It's not that kids will never eat healthy foods. It's just that, you know, if they're given a choice between French fries and the vegetable of the day, they're going to choose French fries.

But they need to have a range of healthy options so that parents have a choice. Restaurants also need to do a better job at providing nutrition information right on the menu so that parents can make their own choice.

You know, parents certainly know that the macaroni and cheese is not as healthful as grilled chicken tenderloin. But I think most would be very surprised to learn that the macaroni and cheese has four times as many calories. Since the calories aren't even on the menu, parents don't even know what they're giving to their children.

KAGAN: I think perhaps getting them cheese isn't a good option.

I guess the message is: one, that there are choices out there. Parents need to be consumer advocates for their kids.

And also, in terms of the big chicken or the egg picture here, the kids want the grease, but we're developing those palates for them are, aren't we? We're teaching them to eat poorly.

WOOTAN: Parents need to do, you know, a good job in feeding their children well. But they also need to ask Congress and restaurants to do more to help make it easier to feed their children well, to provide calorie labeling right n the menus and to urge the restaurants to offer healthier options and to make the options that are currently there healthier.

KAGAN: Martha Wootan, thanks for stopping by right before lunch.

WOOTAN: It was nice to be here.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. We'll try to make good choices later today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com