In a new study, researchers found fast food meals have become bigger and contained more calories and salt than before.
Currently, in the U.S., fast food makes up 11% of energy intake in adults.
The research was conducted by a team from Boston University and Tufts University.
In the current study, the team examined more than 1,700 food items on menus from 10 famous fast food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, and KFC.
They checked how portion size, energy content, and nutrients have changed over the past 30 years.
They found the number of items offered in fast food restaurants increased by 226%. The portion sizes and calories increased as well.
For example, desserts contain an average of 62 more calories each decade. Entrées gained an average of 30 calories per decade.
For sodium content, the team found 3.9% for sides, 4.6% for entrées, and 1.2% for desserts each decade.
A good change is that more fast food items contained iron and calcium now. The daily value of calcium increased by 3.9% in desserts and the daily value of iron increased 1.4% per decade.
The findings suggest that currently the fast food is more unhealthy and may increase the risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease.
Because fast food is popular, it is important to help people make better choices at fast food restaurants.
Also, future work should find alternatives to eating fast food.
The lead author of the study is Megan McCrory, a research associate professor at Boston University.
The study is published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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