Predictors of total calories purchased at fast-food restaurants: restaurant characteristics, calorie awareness, and use of calorie information

Objective: To examine purchase patterns at fast-food restaurants and their relation to restaurant characteristics, customer characteristics, and use of calorie information.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Fast-food restaurants in New York State.

Participants: Adult fast-food restaurant customers (n = 1,094).

Variables measured: Restaurant characteristics (fast-food chain type, presence of calorie labels, and poverty of location), participant characteristics (demographics, calorie knowledge, awareness, and use), and customer purchasing patterns (ordering low-calorie or no beverage, small or no fries, or < 3 items) were used as predictors of total calories purchased.

Analysis: Multiple regression.

Results: In a regression model including restaurant and customer characteristics, fast-food chain customer age, sex, calorie use, and calorie awareness were independently associated with total calories purchased (all P < .05; model R2 = .19). When 3 purchasing patterns were added to the model, calorie use (P = .005), but not calorie awareness, remained associated with total calories purchased. The 3 purchase patterns collectively accounted for the majority of variance in calorie totals (Δ model R2 = .40).

Conclusions and implications: Promoting use of calorie information, purchase strategies, and calorie awareness represents complementary ways to support lower-calorie choices at fast-food chains.