ATLANTA, April 12 (UPI) -- U.S. restaurant chains are committed to serving healthier foods only if they generate profit through high sales or other benefits, a study says.
The study, published in the May issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, used in-depth interviews with 41 senior menu development and marketing executives at leading casual dining and fast-food restaurant chains to learn about current practices barriers to offering more fresh produce.
For a majority of the interviewees, the most important issues are growing sales and increasing profits, with about half as many operators concerned about food safety, meeting customer demand and labor issues.
Health and nutrition were mentioned by only nine respondents and social responsibility by three, according to the study.
The majority of chains interviewed would not add new items to their menus unless they are confident that their customer base will accept them and that the items will contribute to sales and profit growth, according to study leader, Dr. Karen Glanz, of the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.
