Three quarters of children's restaurant meals have unhealthy calorie counts: study
The average calorie count in a toddler’s meal was 609kcal.
More than three quarters of children’s meals at chain restaurants contain more calories than the government-recommended limit, according to research from the University of Roehampton in London and the Cork Institute of Technology in Ireland.
Studying the food on offer at 20 restaurant chains, they found 87% meals for two to five-year-olds contained more than the recommended number of calories for the age group.
According to Public Health England (PHE), children that age should eat no more than 364kcal in a single meal, rising to 550kcal for six to 12-year-olds.
The average calorie count in a toddler’s meal was 609kcal, and rose to 653 for older children.
PHE says even adults should only eat 600kcal per meal.
Figures show a staggering 30% of children in England are overweight, one in six of which are obese.
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