Table 2.
Children’s Menu Assessment (CMA) categories scored in the cross-border comparative analysis of the restaurant consumer food environment for children in London, ON, Canada and Rochester, NY, USA (June–August 2016)
| Rochester (n 50) | London (n 323) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMA category | n | % | Mean score | n | % | Mean score | P value |
| Nutrition guidance | |||||||
| Any nutrition information | 15 | 30·0 | 0·60 | 91 | 28·2 | 0·57 | 0·92 |
| Symbol indicating healthy item | 1 | 2·0 | 0·02 | 36 | 11·1 | 0·11 | 0·04 |
| Entrées | |||||||
| Healthy entrée | 13 | 26·0 | 0·48 | 103 | 31·9 | 0·55 | 0·50 |
| Healthy entrée salad | 2 | 4·0 | 0·08 | 8 | 2·5 | 0·05 | 0·63 |
| Whole-grain option | 7 | 14·0 | 0·28 | 64 | 19·8 | 0·25 | 0·44 |
| Beverages | |||||||
| Juice, any | 22 | 44·0 | N/A | 154 | 47·7 | N/A | 0·74 |
| Juice, listed as 100 % juice | 7 | 14·0 | 0·14 | 27 | 8·4 | 0·08 | 0·31 |
| Milk, any | 24 | 48·0 | N/A | 172 | 53·3 | N/A | 0·59 |
| Milk, listed as low-fat, 1 %, or non-fat | 10 | 20·0 | 0·20 | 37 | 11·5 | 0·11 | 0·14 |
| Pop targeted at children | 12 | 24·0 | −0·20 | 146 | 45·2 | −0·45 | 0·01 |
| Opportunity for healthier beverage substitution | 27 | 54·0 | 0·54 | 181 | 56·0 | 0·56 | 0·91 |
| Free pop refills for children | 1 | 2·0 | −0·02 | 25 | 7·7 | −0·08 | 0·23 |
| Side dishes | |||||||
| Non-fried vegetables | 8 | 16·0 | 0·32 | 84 | 26·0 | 0·52 | 0·18 |
| Fruit, any | 23 | 46·0 | 0·46 | 113 | 35·0 | 0·35 | 0·18 |
| Fruit, without added sugar | 10 | 20·0 | 0·20 | 90 | 27·9 | 0·28 | 0·32 |
| Dairy, any | 2 | 4·0 | 0·04 | 12 | 3·7 | 0·04 | 1·00 |
| Dairy, low-fat | 0 | 0·0 | 0·00 | 0 | 0·0 | 0·00 | N/A |
| Opportunity for healthier side substitution | 24 | 48·0 | 0·48 | 171 | 52·9 | 0·53 | 0·62 |
| Desserts | |||||||
| Healthy desserts | 0 | 0·0 | 0·00 | 19 | 5·9 | 0·06 | N/A |
| Included in children's meal | 5 | 10·0 | −0·10 | 124 | 38·4 | −0·39 | <0·001 |
| Toys/marketing | |||||||
| Branded marketing towards children | 10 | 20·0 | −0·20 | 23 | 7·1 | −0·02 | 0·01 |
| Toy included with children's meal | 10 | 20·0 | −0·20 | 31 | 9·6 | −0·07 | 0·05 |
| Total score | N/A | N/A | 3·12 | N/A | N/A | 2·87 | N/A |
N/A, not applicable.
The χ 2 test, or Fisher’s exact test where appropriate, was used to compare differences in proportions between Rochester and London.