TY - JOUR
T1 - Unhealthy Food at Your Fingertips: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Nutritional Quality of Restaurants and Takeaway Outlets on an Online Food Delivery Platform in New Zealand
AU - Mahawar, Nisha
AU - Jia, Si Si
AU - Korai, Andriana
AU - Wang, Celina
AU - Allman-Farinelli, Margaret
AU - Chan, Virginia
AU - Raeside, Rebecca
AU - Phongsavan, Philayrath
AU - Redfern, Julie
AU - Gibson, Alice A
AU - Partridge, Stephanie R
AU - Roy, Rajshri
PY - 2022/10/30
Y1 - 2022/10/30
N2 - Online food delivery (OFD) platforms have become increasingly popular due to advanced technology, which is changing the way consumers purchase food prepared outside of the home. There is limited research investigating the healthiness of the digital food environment and its influence on consumer choice and dietary behaviours. This study is the first to examine the nutritional quality and marketing attributes of menu items from popular independent and franchise restaurants and takeaway outlets on New Zealand’s market leading OFD platform (UberEATS®). A total of 374 popular independent and franchise restaurants and takeaway outlets were identified to form a database of complete menus and marketing attributes. All 25,877 menu items were classified into 38 food and beverage categories based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Of complete menus, 73.3% (18,955/25,877) were discretionary. Thirty-six percent (9419/25,877) were discretionary cereal-based mixed meals, the largest of the 38 categories. Discretionary menu items were more likely to be categorized as most popular (OR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.7−2.2), accompanied by a photo (OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.6−1.8), and offered as a value bundle (OR: 4.6, 95% CI 3.2−6.8). Two of the three discretionary mixed meal categories were significantly less expensive than their healthier counterparts (p < 0.001). The overwhelming availability and promotion of discretionary choices offered by restaurants and takeaway outlets on OFD platforms have implications for public health policy. Further research to explore direct associations between nutritional quality and consumers’ dietary choices is required.
AB - Online food delivery (OFD) platforms have become increasingly popular due to advanced technology, which is changing the way consumers purchase food prepared outside of the home. There is limited research investigating the healthiness of the digital food environment and its influence on consumer choice and dietary behaviours. This study is the first to examine the nutritional quality and marketing attributes of menu items from popular independent and franchise restaurants and takeaway outlets on New Zealand’s market leading OFD platform (UberEATS®). A total of 374 popular independent and franchise restaurants and takeaway outlets were identified to form a database of complete menus and marketing attributes. All 25,877 menu items were classified into 38 food and beverage categories based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Of complete menus, 73.3% (18,955/25,877) were discretionary. Thirty-six percent (9419/25,877) were discretionary cereal-based mixed meals, the largest of the 38 categories. Discretionary menu items were more likely to be categorized as most popular (OR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.7−2.2), accompanied by a photo (OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.6−1.8), and offered as a value bundle (OR: 4.6, 95% CI 3.2−6.8). Two of the three discretionary mixed meal categories were significantly less expensive than their healthier counterparts (p < 0.001). The overwhelming availability and promotion of discretionary choices offered by restaurants and takeaway outlets on OFD platforms have implications for public health policy. Further research to explore direct associations between nutritional quality and consumers’ dietary choices is required.
U2 - 10.3390/nu14214567
DO - 10.3390/nu14214567
M3 - Article
C2 - 36364829
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 14
SP - 1
EP - 20
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 21
M1 - 4567
ER -
