To examine whether the density of neighbourhood restaurants affected the frequency of eating restaurant meals and subsequently affected diet quality.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Structural equation models assessed the indirect relationship between restaurant density (≤3 miles (4·8 km) of participant addresses) and dietary quality (Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI)) via the frequency of eating restaurant meals, after adjustment for sociodemographics, select health conditions, region, residence duration and area-level income.

Urbanised areas in multiple regions of the USA, years 2000–2002 and 2010–2012.

Participants aged 45–84 years were followed for 10 years (n 3567).

Median HEI (out of 100) was fifty-nine at baseline and sixty-two at follow-up. The cross-sectional analysis found that residing in areas with a high density of restaurants (highest-ranked quartile) was associated with 52 % higher odds of frequently eating restaurant meals (≥3 times/week, OR: 1·52, 95 % CI 1·18, 1·98) and 3 % higher odds of having lower dietary quality (HEI lowest quartile < 54, OR: 1·03, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·06); associations were not sustained in longitudinal analyses. The cross-sectional analysis found 34 % higher odds of having lower dietary quality for those who frequently ate at restaurants (OR: 1·34, 95 % CI 1·12, 1·61), and more restaurant meals (over time increase ≥ 1 time/week) were associated with higher odds of having worse dietary quality at follow-up (OR: 1·21, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·46).

Restaurant density was associated with frequently eating out in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses but was associated with the lower dietary quality only in cross-sectional analyses. Frequent restaurant meals were negatively related to dietary quality. Interventions that encourage less frequent eating out may improve population dietary quality.

The present study aimed to compare Household Budget Survey (HBS) data on food purchasing and individual food consumption, collected in the same nationwide survey.

Food purchase information for each household was collected by a seven-day collective acquisition diary, applied to 55 970 households. Food consumption information was obtained from household members over 10 years old by the application of two non-consecutive food records in a sub-sample of the HBS. Cooking and correction factors were applied when necessary, and all food items reported were grouped into twelve main food groups. Food purchase and consumption data were presented as absolute weight (g/person per d) and as relative contribution to energy intake (%) for the overall study population, which was stratified according to household income.

Brazil.

National estimates of food consumption and purchase for Brazil.

The greatest differences between purchase and consumption data (purchase minus consumption) were observed for meat (−168 g), beans/legumes (−48 g), roots/tubers (−36 g) and fruits (−31 g). When expressed in terms of energy contribution, the highest differences were found for cereals (13 %) and oils and fats (11 %). Differences between purchase and consumption data were generally lower in the highest compared with the lowest household income quintile; and were lower for most main food groups when considering only foods reported as being eaten at home.

With few exceptions, food purchase expressed as relative energy contribution, as opposed to absolute weight, can provide a good picture of actual consumption in the Brazilian population.

To document changes in consumption of food away from home (FAFH) and intakes of selected nutrients by working-age adults between 2005–06 and 2013–14, covering the most recent recessionary period and recovery.

Means were compared across survey rounds relative to 2005–06. Multivariate regression was used to account for changes in demographic characteristics over time.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005–2014.

Working-age adults born in 1951–80 (n 12 129) and adolescents and young adults born in 1981–90 (n 5197) who reported day 1 dietary intake data.

Approximately 34 % of energy consumed by working-age adults came from FAFH (14 % from fast foods) in 2005–06. Levels of FAFH consumption were lowest in 2009–10, at 28 and 11 % of energy from FAFH and fast foods, respectively. Percentage of energy from fast foods was 1·9 percentage points higher in 2013–14. Percentage of energy from saturated fat and total mg of cholesterol consumed were lower in 2009–14, while intake of fibre was higher in 2011–14. At-home foods had less saturated fat and more fibre in 2009–14. The greater the percentage of energy from FAFH in the day, the greater the intakes of fat and cholesterol. Percentage of energy from FAFH was highest among those born in 1981–90 and lowest among those born in 1951–60.

FAFH is a significant source of energy, fat and cholesterol among working-age adults. Menu labelling may lower FAFH’s energy content and make it easier for consumers to choose more healthful items.

The present study aimed to explore the associations between food away-from-home (FAFH) consumption and body weight outcomes among Chinese adults.

FAFH was defined as food prepared at restaurants and the percentage of energy from FAFH was calculated. Measured BMI and waist circumference (WC) were used as body weight outcomes. Quantile regression models for BMI and WC were performed separately by gender.

Information on demographic, socio-economic, diet and health parameters at individual, household and community levels was collected in twelve provinces of China.

A cross-sectional sample of 7738 non-pregnant individuals aged 18–60 years from the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2011 was analysed.

For males, quantile regression models showed that percentage of energy from FAFH was associated with an increase in BMI of 0·01, 0·01, 0·01, 0·02, 0·02 and 0·03 kg/m2 at the 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th quantile, and an increase in WC of 0·04, 0·06, 0·06, 0·04, 0·06, 0·05 and 0·07 cm at the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th quantile. For females, percentage of energy from FAFH was associated with 0·01, 0·01, 0·01 and 0·02 kg/m2 increase in BMI at the 10th, 25th, 90th and 95th quantile, and with 0·05, 0·04, 0·03 and 0·03 cm increase in WC at the 5th, 10th, 25th and 75th quantile.

Our findings suggest that FAFH consumption is relatively more important for BMI and WC among males rather than females in China. Public health initiatives are needed to encourage Chinese adults to make healthy food choices when eating out.

To examine the effect of fast-food and full-service restaurant consumption on adults’ energy intake and dietary indicators.

Individual-level fixed-effects regression model estimation based on two different days of dietary intake data was used.

Parallel to the rising obesity epidemic in the USA, there has been a marked upward trend in total energy intake derived from food away from home.

The full sample included 12 528 respondents aged 20–64 years who completed 24 h dietary recall interviews for both day 1 and day 2 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2004, 2005–2006, 2007–2008 and 2009–2010.

Fast-food and full-service restaurant consumption, respectively, was associated with an increase in daily total energy intake of 813·75 kJ (194·49 kcal) and 858·04 kJ (205·21 kcal) and with higher intakes of saturated fat (3·48 g and 2·52 g) and Na (296·38 mg and 451·06 mg). Individual characteristics moderated the impacts of restaurant food consumption with adverse impacts on net energy intake being larger for black adults compared with their white and Hispanic counterparts and greater for middle-income v. high-income adults.

Adults’ fast-food and full-service restaurant consumption was associated with higher daily total energy intake and poorer dietary indicators.