Calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium are widely underconsumed in the U.S. This study analyzes nutrition information from quick service restaurants to determine the fast-food industry⁰́₉s contribution of these nutrients to the American diet. The menu offerings of top-grossing quick-service restaurants in each of seven categories, McDonald's℗ʼ (burger), Subway℗ʼ (sandwich), Taco Bell℗ʼ (Mexican), Pizza Hut℗ʼ (pizza), Chick-fil-A℗ʼ (chicken), Panda Express℗ʼ (Asian), and Long John Silver's℗ʼ (seafood), were analyzed for calcium, vitamin D, fiber, potassium, and calories. The highest mean values of key nutrients were found at Pizza Hut (256.4 mg calcium), McDonald⁰́₉s (0.509 mcg vitamin D), Taco Bell (4.4 g fiber, foods only), and Chick-fil-A (375.5 mg potassium). Significant differences among restaurants were found for all nutrients at a p-value of < 0.01 for calcium, fiber and potassium, and < 0.05 for vitamin D. McDonald⁰́₉s and Subway provided the most nutrient-dense menu items with 303 and 238 items, respectively.
","abstract_html":"<p>Calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium are widely underconsumed in the U.S. This study analyzes nutrition information from quick service restaurants to determine the fast-food industry⁰́₉s contribution of these nutrients to the American diet. The menu offerings of top-grossing quick-service restaurants in each of seven categories, McDonald's℗ʼ (burger), Subway℗ʼ (sandwich), Taco Bell℗ʼ (Mexican), Pizza Hut℗ʼ (pizza), Chick-fil-A℗ʼ (chicken), Panda Express℗ʼ (Asian), and Long John Silver's℗ʼ (seafood), were analyzed for calcium, vitamin D, fiber, potassium, and calories. The highest mean values of key nutrients were found at Pizza Hut (256.4 mg calcium), McDonald⁰́₉s (0.509 mcg vitamin D), Taco Bell (4.4 g fiber, foods only), and Chick-fil-A (375.5 mg potassium). Significant differences among restaurants were found for all nutrients at a p-value of < 0.01 for calcium, fiber and potassium, and < 0.05 for vitamin D. McDonald⁰́₉s and Subway provided the most nutrient-dense menu items with 303 and 238 items, respectively.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pearson, Meghan"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Health Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Judi Brooks, Ph.D., R.D., Chair","Alice Jo Rainville, Ph.D., R.D., C.H.E., S.N.S., F.A.N.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-07-09T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-07-09T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z","subjects":["convenience foods","trace elements in nutrition","nutrition","restaurants"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/619","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Judi Brooks, Ph.D., R.D., Chair","Alice Jo Rainville, Ph.D., R.D., C.H.E., S.N.S., F.A.N.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pearson, Meghan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-01-13T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["convenience foods","trace elements in nutrition","nutrition","restaurants"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/619"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium are widely underconsumed in the U.S. This study analyzes nutrition information from quick service restaurants to determine the fast-food industry⁰́₉s contribution of these nutrients to the American diet. The menu offerings of top-grossing quick-service restaurants in each of seven categories, McDonald's℗ʼ (burger), Subway℗ʼ (sandwich), Taco Bell℗ʼ (Mexican), Pizza Hut℗ʼ (pizza), Chick-fil-A℗ʼ (chicken), Panda Express℗ʼ (Asian), and Long John Silver's℗ʼ (seafood), were analyzed for calcium, vitamin D, fiber, potassium, and calories. The highest mean values of key nutrients were found at Pizza Hut (256.4 mg calcium), McDonald⁰́₉s (0.509 mcg vitamin D), Taco Bell (4.4 g fiber, foods only), and Chick-fil-A (375.5 mg potassium). Significant differences among restaurants were found for all nutrients at a p-value of < 0.01 for calcium, fiber and potassium, and < 0.05 for vitamin D. McDonald⁰́₉s and Subway provided the most nutrient-dense menu items with 303 and 238 items, respectively.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Sources of calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium in American fast food"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Judi Brooks, Ph.D., R.D., Chair","Alice Jo Rainville, Ph.D., R.D., C.H.E., S.N.S., F.A.N.D."],"dc:creator":["Pearson, Meghan"],"dc:date.available":["2016-01-13T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium are widely underconsumed in the U.S. This study analyzes nutrition information from quick service restaurants to determine the fast-food industry⁰́₉s contribution of these nutrients to the American diet. The menu offerings of top-grossing quick-service restaurants in each of seven categories, McDonald's℗ʼ (burger), Subway℗ʼ (sandwich), Taco Bell℗ʼ (Mexican), Pizza Hut℗ʼ (pizza), Chick-fil-A℗ʼ (chicken), Panda Express℗ʼ (Asian), and Long John Silver's℗ʼ (seafood), were analyzed for calcium, vitamin D, fiber, potassium, and calories. The highest mean values of key nutrients were found at Pizza Hut (256.4 mg calcium), McDonald⁰́₉s (0.509 mcg vitamin D), Taco Bell (4.4 g fiber, foods only), and Chick-fil-A (375.5 mg potassium). Significant differences among restaurants were found for all nutrients at a p-value of < 0.01 for calcium, fiber and potassium, and < 0.05 for vitamin D. McDonald⁰́₉s and Subway provided the most nutrient-dense menu items with 303 and 238 items, respectively.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/619"],"dc:subject":["convenience foods","trace elements in nutrition","nutrition","restaurants"],"dc:title":["Sources of calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and potassium in American fast food"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z"}