The impact of adding healthier food options to fast food menus on parent food selection for themselves and their child.

Eligible participants (parents recruited form an existing database, with a child aged three to 12 years old) completed two scripted telephone interviews conducted by trained research assistants. The first interview was conducted from June to July 2011. Participants reported on a range of demographic and health behaviour data for themselves and a child aged three to 12 years in their household.Where parents had more than one child from age three to 12, the child with the most recent birthday was selected. Following completion of this survey, participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups using a random number function embedded in the computer assisted telephone interviewing software in a 1:1 ratio without stratification. Based on group allocation, participants in this study were posted one of two hypothetical fast food menus. Menus were comprised of items selected from a variety of common fast food outlets in Australia. Generic descriptive names were provided for each food item. Depending on group allocation, participants received: Group 1 (Control). Fast food menu without healthy options. The standard menu contained 26 food and beverage items. Menu items names, description of ingredients and price was listed with each item. Group 2 (Intervention). Menu with the addition of healthier options and energy labelling. Participants in group 2 received the exact same menu as those in group 1, with the addition of 10 healthier food and beverage options. Participants were contacted approximately one to two weeks after receiving these menus and asked a series of questions assessing purchasing intentions and number of times intending to visit a fast food restaurant with the hypothetical menus, for both themselves and their child.