Clinical Nutrition Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80215, Jeddah21589, Saudi Arabia.
Executive Department of Monitoring and Risk Assessment, Food Sector, Saudi Food & Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Public Health Nutr. 2020 Dec;23(18):3435-3447. doi: 10.1017/S1368980020000245. Epub 2020 May 26.
Mandatory menu energy-labelling policy in restaurants has received increasing attention worldwide as a useful tool for promoting balanced energy intake and encouraging healthier food selection to reduce obesity prevalence. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the knowledge, views and observations of the public and restaurant owners towards the mandatory menu energy-labelling policy (introduced in August 2018) in restaurants in Saudi Arabia.
In February 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional study using an electronic questionnaire.
Saudi Arabia.
Saudi individuals (n 1228) aged 18-80 years and forty-one restaurant owners.
Most participants identified the correct daily energetic requirements for moderately active men (51 %) and women (69 %), but not for inactive adults (36 %). Although 40 % reported adequate knowledge to select low-energetic meals and 55 % perceived the policy as useful, 51 % reported they would be less likely to eat at restaurants displaying energy. Most participants (76 %) mentioned they would choose lower-energetic meals, and 79 % would feel guilty after consuming high-energetic meals. Moreover, 62 % of participants reported that the new labelling policy affected their food selections, prompting them to order different food items, eat less, change restaurants or eat at restaurants less frequently. Among restaurant owners, half were aware of the reason for the implementation of this policy and supported this measure. However, they did not consider modifying recipes to reduce energy. Sales of low- and high-energetic meals increased and decreased in 44 % and 39 % of restaurants, respectively.
This policy may be an effective public health tool for promoting balanced energy intake and encouraging healthier food selection in Saudi Arabia.
强制性菜单能量标签政策在全球范围内越来越受到关注，被认为是促进均衡能量摄入和鼓励更健康食物选择以降低肥胖患病率的有用工具。因此，我们旨在评估公众和餐馆老板对沙特阿拉伯餐馆强制性菜单能量标签政策（2018 年 8 月推出）的知识、看法和观察。
2019 年 2 月，我们使用电子问卷进行了一项横断面研究。
沙特阿拉伯。
年龄在 18-80 岁之间的沙特个人（n=1228）和 41 名餐馆老板。
大多数参与者正确识别了中度活跃男性（51%）和女性（69%）的日常能量需求，但未识别不活跃成年人（36%）的需求。尽管 40%的人报告说有足够的知识来选择低能量餐，55%的人认为该政策有用，但 51%的人报告说他们不太可能在显示能量的餐馆就餐。大多数参与者（76%）表示他们会选择低能量餐，79%的人在食用高能量餐后会感到内疚。此外，62%的参与者报告说新的标签政策影响了他们的食物选择，促使他们点不同的食物，吃得更少，更换餐馆或减少在餐馆就餐的频率。在餐馆老板中，一半的人了解实施这项政策的原因，并支持这一措施。然而，他们不考虑修改食谱来降低能量。低能量和高能量餐的销售额分别增加和减少了 44%和 39%的餐馆。
在沙特阿拉伯，该政策可能是促进均衡能量摄入和鼓励更健康食物选择的有效公共卫生工具。
