Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Kilojoules and fast food – the “in-your-face” facts

Kilojoules and fast food – the “in-your-face” facts

From 1 February this year, all major fast food chains must display the kilojoule (calorie) counts of their food with the same prominence as the price. For instance, the Grand Angus has 2630 kilojoules (see picture right). This “in-your-face” information is designed to make consumers take stock of what they, and their children, are eating.

 

US studies have shown that parents order healthier meals for their children when the kilojoule count of a food is displayed – although their own eating habits remain unchanged. A case of ‘Do as I say’, not ‘Do as I do’?

It’s not only the Macca’s, Pizza Huts, Pizza Havens, Eagle Boys and KFCs that have to comply. Any food outlet that has 20 or more outlets in NSW, or 50 or more nationwide, will have to display the average adult daily energy intake of 8700kJ plus the kilojoule content of their foods. They have a year to comply. 

Kilojoule counts are also coming to Victoria by 2012. The NSW Heart Foundation supports the initiative but will lobby for the outlets to display the quantities of saturated fats and salt too.

 

It’s so easy to overdo it

Many people don't realise that they can easily consume almost 50 per cent of their daily kilojoule allowance just by eating “a big hamburger” plus “big fries”  eg

Big Mac                        2060kJ              24%

Large fries                  1900kJ              22%

Total                             3960kJ              46%

Similarly, not many realise that a couple of doughnuts is not a mere snack but anywhere from 20 to 36 per cent of your day’s total depending on what sort you choose (cinnamon, cream-filled, iced, etc). And that’s before we tote up the thickshake or milky flat white you wash them down with.

Two doughnuts, cinnamon                                    1726kJ               20%

Two doughnuts, choc iced, cream-filled          3150kJ              36%

 

Two reasons why I’m in favour of kilojoule counts

Highly visible kilojoule counts:

1. get you thinking and talking about how fattening most fast food is. It’s loaded with too many kilojoules, as well as too much saturated fats, trans fats and salt, and it’s served in super-sized portions. It’s easy to keep eating it once you start (“passive over-consumption”). There’s little in the way of fibre, vegetables or whole grains to apply the brakes! Read my Fact Sheet on Fast Food and you’ll see what I mean.

2. allow you to compare and contrast the menu offerings easily. You can quickly run your eye over the kilojoules on a menu board and note what’s high and what’s low. For example, if you can see that large fries have almost double the kilojoules of small fries, you can choose to opt for the small bag. Or seeing the kilojoules may help you down scale to a single burger instead of a double burger with extra cheese and a hash brown. Or – God forbid- a Tower Burger or Quad Stack.

Food	kJ	Cals	%DI
Fries, large	1900kJ	452cals	22%
Fries, medium	1540kJ	368cals	18%
Fries, small	1070kJ	255cals	12%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will it deter people from buying fast food?

I think not. If you are in a hurry and want to grab a quick meal on the road, you’re still going to pull over into the drive-through at a burger, pizza or chicken place. Only now the kilojoule counts may impose a little reflection before you purchase. How helpful this nanny-state government move will be in stemming the obesity problem remains to be seen.

While some early studies were favourable, other studies have reported that menu labelling has made no difference at all - which is a pity. For instance, experience in the US shows that forcing fast food chains to display nutrition labelling has done little to change people’s eating habits. Maybe that’s just the US. A simple logo identifying which foods are healthiest may be simpler and more effective.

 

Still got some questions?

This initiative, which I applaud, needs some explanations. Without an education program behind it, most people will have trouble understanding how the kilojoules apply to themselves. For example:

1. Who is an “average” adult? Is it an average male or an average female? How close are you to the “average”? 
2. And how do you decide how many kilojoules your 5 year old daughter and 12 year son should have?
3. What’s a kilojoule anyway and how does it relate to calories? Many people still don’t understand kilojoules and think only in terms of calories.

 

The answers

I’ve put together a downloadable pdf that you can print out that provides you with the following:

1. A list of the kilojoules, calories and their  % of Daily Intake for 85 of the most popular fast food and take aways foods. It’s a pocket version of the list below.
2. The 8700kJ daily intake refers to an “average” adult. This figure is used by food companies to calculate their %Dietary Intake figure on the thumbnails on food labels. Tables 2 and 3 in the pdf shows the intake for men and women of all ages for light physical activity.
3. Kids’ levels are harder to define. We’ve all seen two seven year olds – one who’s tiny and the other who’s really tall. Should they both have the same intake? Table 4 in the pdf is an attempt to give you the broad averages from sedentary to sporty types.
4. A calorie = 4.186 kilojoules. A bit hard to remember! That’s why in the main Table 1 you’ll find figures for 85 fast food items in both kilojoules with their calorie equivalent. If you ever find yourself without it and having to work it out for yourself just err on the side of caution and divide the kilojoules by 4 to get a rough estimate of the calories. For more on calories and kilojoules, read my handy article How to convert kilojoules to calories.

 

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Kilojoules, calories and % daily intake in your favourite fast food

 

Food	Kilojoules (kJ)	Calories (Cals)	% of your  day’s recomm  intake
McDonald's Big Mac	2060	490	24%
Quarter Pounder	2300	548	26%
Double Quarter Pounder	3570	850	41%
Grand Angus	2630	630	30%
Cheese Burger	1190	283	14%
McChicken	1710	407	20%
Filet-o-Fish	1290	307	15%
Nuggets, 6	1160	276	13%
Nuggets, 3	582	139	7%
Fries, large	1900	452	22%
Fries, medium	1540	368	18%
Fries, small	1070	255	12%
Salads Plus Roast Chicken Salad w dressing	946	225	11%
Garden Mixed Salad w dressing	381	91	4%
Lean beef burger	1250	298	14%
Berrynice Yoghurt Crunch	960	229	11%
Muffin Lite, raspberry	1592	379	18%
Deli Choices Bacon & egg roll	2080	495	24%
Chicken Tandoori roll	1400	333	16%
Thai Chicken roll	1480	352	17%
Turkey & Cranberry roll	1730	412	20%
Chicken Caesar roll	2360	562	27%
Mustard Beef roll	1970	469	23%
Vege Pesto roll	1370	326	16%
Burger King Whopper	2940	700	34%
Whopper with cheese	3360	800	39%
Whopper with bacon	3003	715	34%
Whopper junior with cheese	1470	350	17%
Aussie burger	2727	649	31%
Vegie burger	1764	420	20%
Onion rings, regular	1344	320	15%
French fries, small	966	230	11%
French fries (regular)	1512	360	17%
French fries (large)	2100	500	24%
Pizza, average * Deep pan (3 medium slices)
BBQ Meat Lovers, Pizza Hut, 291 g	3558	847	41%
Super Supreme Dominos, 229g	2292	546	26%
Hawaiian	2921	695	34%
Cheese lovers	3219	766	37%
Vegetarian	2836	675	33%
Thin crust (3 medium slices) BBQ Meat Lovers	2524	601	29%
Super Supreme	2349	559	27%
Cheese lovers	2346	559	27%
Hawaiian	2579	614	30%
Vegetarian	2007	478	23%
Fried chicken 2 pieces of fried chicken	2163	515	25%
Quarter chicken (leg)	1422	339	16%
Quarter chicken (leg) and chips	3248	773	37%
Chicken fillet burger	2277	542	26%
Bacon and cheese fillet burger	2479	590	28%
Bondi Burger (Oporto)	2257	537	26%
Rooster Roll (Red Rooster)	2735	651	31%
Nuggets, 6	1230	293	14%
Chips, regular	1508	359	17%
Mashed potato and gravy (KFC)	504	120	6%
Twister wrap (KFC)	2446	582	28%
Popcorn chicken (large, KFC)	2352	560	27%
Subway  Cold subs 6”  Turkey	1160	276	13%
6” Turkey Breast & Ham	1160	276	13%
6” Roast Beef	1150	274	13%
6” Subway Club	1210	288	14%
6” Tuna	1660	395	19%
Hot Subs 6” Roasted Chicken	1280	305	15%
6” Turkey Ham & Bacon melt	1530	364	18%
6” Meatball	2080	495	24%
6” Cheese Steak	1510	360	17%
6” Italian BMT	1880	448	22%
Subway Salads with Ranch dressing Roasted chicken	813	194	9%
Club	783	186	9%
Tuna	1206	287	14%
Veggie Delite	500	119	6%
Take-aways
Sushi, Average all types, per 6 pieces	1170	280	13%
Sausage roll with sauce	2010	479	23%
Meat pie with sauce	1655	394	19%
Steak sandwich	1498	357	17%
Fish 'n' chips	3760	895	43%
Grilled fish with chips	2580	614	30%
Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, 2 original glazed	1908	454	22%
Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, 2 cinnamon	1726	411	20%
Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, 2, Choc iced	2370	564	27%
Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, 2 Choc iced cream-filled	3150	750	36%
Doughnuts, Donut King, cinnamon,  2	1520	362	19%
Muffin, Muffin Break, Berry Crunch Hi-Fibre	2540	606	29%
Muffin, Muffin Break, Apple Berry Bran	2060	492	24%
Cookie, Muffin Break, Chocolate Chip Regular, 97g	1970	470	23%
Cookie, Muffin Break, Chocolate Chip Jumbo, 200g	4030	963	46%
Recommended day’s intake  *	8700	2000

 

Source: Analyses from fast food chains and take-away shops.   Pizza figures average of national chains including Pizza Hut, Pizza Haven, Dominos and Eagle Boys

*  Based on the recommended day’s intake for an average adult.

To work out calories, divide kilojoules by 4.186 or simply 4.

 

Calorie/kilojoules counts on fast food menus in the news

Calorie counts no effect on what kids order

Listing calories on fast food menus does not seem to affect the choices of children and adolescents in low income communities, or choices that their parents make for them, says a 2010 study. This research was conducted in 2008 before and after implementation of the calorie labelling law in New York. The scientists collected receipts and conducted short interviews with consumers from four fast food chains, McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, based in New York (where calorie labelling had just become mandatory) and Newark, New Jersey (which they used as control).

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Choice surveys the worst of fast food (and gives you healthier options)
Oporto, Red Rooster, Subway, Domino's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Hungry Jack's, McDonald's. Burgers and chips, sushi, noodles, pizza, wraps – we're spoilt for choice when it comes to convenient fast food. Choice looks at the worst and best choices including things from healthier menus as well as those whoppers and quad stacks that young males love to wolf down.  Read more.

 

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Only one in 6 fast-food customers cut calories after US food labelling system introduction

Around a sixth of fast food customers used calorie information and, on average, bought food with106 fewer  lower calories than customers who did not see or use the calorie information. The study tracked the introduction of a menu labelling system in the US, with results published in the British Medical Journal. US researchers found there has been a small but positive impact from a law introduced in 2008 in New York requiring chain restaurants with 15 or more branches nationally to provide calorie information on menus and menu boards in the city.

For example, at McDonalds, average energy per purchase fell by 5.3%, at Au Bon Pain, it fell by 14.4% and at KFC, it dropped by 6.4%. Together, these three chains represented 42% of all customers in the study. However, average energy content increased at one chain – Subway – by 17.8% where large portions were heavily promoted.

 

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