At A Glance
Noteworthy Characteristics
- Provides free access to nine years of nutrition information from the largest restaurant chains in the United States.
- Nutritional content can be compared across items, restaurants, food categories, and over time.
- Provides descriptive information, such as whether an item appears on a kids menu.
Website
Purpose
To provide free access to nutrition data from the largest restaurant chains in the United States in a way that is easy to search and analyze.
Target Population
Menu items from the largest chain restaurants in the United States.
Conducted
Launched in 2013 and currently includes nutrition data from 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Data are collected annually in January and posted online later in that year.
Sponsor
MenuStat was built and is maintained by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, with funding in part from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Special Note(s)
For questions, contact MenuStat@health.nyc.gov.
Sampling
Sample Design
Longitudinal. MenuStat currently includes data from 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Data are collected annually in January and posted online later in that year. The following nutrition data were collected from restaurant websites: menu item name; serving size; calories; total fat; saturated fat; trans fat; sodium; potassium; cholesterol; carbohydrates; dietary fiber; sugar; and protein. Other descriptive features were coded, such as whether an item appears on a kids menu, is meant to be shared, or is a limited-time offer or region-specific. A codebook of data completeness by year is available on the website.
Sample Size
Nutrition data collected from the largest 100 restaurant chains in the country, by U.S. sales.
Special Note(s)
Nutrition values are entered as they are presented on restaurant websites. MenuStat may not always reflect current restaurant website information as data collection occurs annually.
Key Variables
Diet-Related
| Name |
|---|
| Item Name |
| Restaurant Name |
| Food Category |
| Serving Size |
| Calories |
| Total Fat |
| Saturated Fat |
| Trans Fat |
| Cholesterol |
| Sodium |
| Potassium |
| Carbohydrates |
| Fiber |
| Sugar |
| Protein |
| Descriptive Features (e.g., On Kids Menu) |
Data Access and Cost
Data Availability
Data can be exported from MenuStat.
Cost
Free
Special Note(s)
None
Geocode/Linkage
Geocode Variable(s)
None
Existing Linkages
None
Selected Publications
General
See full list of publications and resources featuring MenuStat
Diet-Related
Bleich SN, Moran AJ, Jarlenski MP, Wolfson JA. Higher-calorie menu items eliminated in large chain restaurants. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017.
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Restaurants Can’t Shake the Salt. December 2, 2014.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Reducing Sodium: From Menu to Mouth.
Jarlenski MP, Wolfson JA, Bleich SN. Macronutrient composition of menu offerings in fast food restaurants in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2016
Moran AJ, Block JP, Goshev SG, Bleich SN, Roberto CA. Trends in nutrient content of children’s menu items in U.S. chain restaurants. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017; 52(3):284–291.
Wolfson JA, Moran AJ, Jarlenski MP, Bleich SN. Trends in sodium content of menu items in large chain restaurants in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017.
