Food Rating Scale in Food Services: From Development to Assessment of a Strategy for Consumer Healthier Choices

Abstract

This study aimed to create an easy tool to identify healthier choices for meal assembly in food services (self-service restaurants) and to allow consumers to compose their plates to make healthier choices. It is an interventional study, and the first step was setting healthy food parameters to design a rating scale. The first evaluation criterion was based on energy density (ED) and sodium content (SC) using “traffic light” color in the dishes’ nameplates; the second criterion was based on food groups; the third criterion was based on ingredients of the meals. After using the classification, we assessed the rating scale in a food service and we evaluated the strategy with its consumers. To evaluate the effect of the nutritional intervention, we developed a multiple-choice-questionnaire with eight questions to measure the impact on consumer food choices quantitatively. The dish nameplate allows identification of healthier choices regarding SC and/or ED by colors; ingredients that compose the dish; the food group and the serving size, helping the identification of the amount of food to compose the meal. Banners helped consumers to understand the information. After four weeks, all the consumers (n = 1000) received questionnaires regarding their comprehension of the classification. The questionnaire presented an ICC of 0.71. Most of the preparations (61%) were inadequate based on ED and/or SC at the studied food service. A total of 556 consumers returned questionnaires, and 86.3% of them observed the rating scale as a nutritional strategy. Almost 55% (n = 261) of consumers reported changes in food choice after reading the dishes nameplates. The items with greater impact on consumer change in eating behavior were the use of colors as an indicator of nutritional quality, portion size information and ingredients list. Almost 25% of the consumers that changed their eating behavior noticed more than three items presented on the nameplate.

Characterization, Nutrient Intake, and Nutritional Status of Low-Income Students Attending a Brazilian University Restaurant

“…Moreover, during the week, sodium intake in Group 1 was significantly higher than during the weekend and higher than sodium intake in Group 2. This data reinforces the need to evaluate what is being served inside the UR by following the preparation techniques and ingredients [ 39 ]. Furthermore, as our study pointed out, greater use of salt and/or products rich in sodium interventions are necessary to train UR workers to reduce sodium adding.…”

Rotulagem de cardápios em restaurantes: influência nas escolhas do consumidor

“…Uma ferramenta foi elaborada por Mazocco et al (2018) com objetivo de facilitar as escolhas dos consumidores em restaurantes self-service. As preparações de um restaurante comercial que vendia comida por quilograma foram rotuladas com placas segundo as cores do semáforo, os ingredientes das preparações, tamanho de porção e os grupos de alimentos aos quais pertenciam, seguindo as recomendações de consumo baseadas no Guia Alimentar para População Brasileira (BRASIL, 2014) e no Guia My plate (USDA, 2011), afim de recomendar o "prato de almoço mais saudável".…”

“…É importante ressaltar que para que fosse realizada a rotulagem dos cardápios, os restaurantes precisaram calcular o valor nutricional das preparações, o que evidenciou, em alguns estudos, preparações com alta densidade energética e/ou alto teor de gorduras e sódio (KERINS et al, 2016;MAZOCCO et al, 2018). Nesse sentido, Feldman et al (2015) realizaram um estudo que avaliou a acurácia da informação nutricional de alimentos servidos numa universidade.…”