SALT AND FAT CONTENTS IN PREPARATIONS AT COMMERCIAL RESTAURANTS IN GOIÂNIA-GO

Objective: To evaluate the sodium and fat contents added to preparations of commercial restaurants in Goiânia-GO, Brazil. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study. It included 'pay-per-weight' restaurants with a medium standard menu and having as daily preparations white rice, beans with broth and grilled chicken. Among the establishments with these characteristics, three agreed to participate. The production process of the above-mentioned preparations was accompanied for three non-consecutive days in each establishment. For quantification of sodium and fat added into the preparations, oil and salt were weighed, as well as the finished preparation; the weight of the standard portion and the yield of the preparation expressed in number of portions prepared were settled. From these data, the per capita amount of salt and oil added to cook one portion of each kind of preparation was calculated by dividing the total quantity of salt and oil by the number of prepared portions. Results: The levels of salt (3.0, 2.7, and 4.1 g - restaurant A, B and C, respectively) and oil (17.0, 11.3, and 11.2 g - restaurant A, B and C, respectively) added in the three preparations are superior to the recommendations. Conclusion: The sodium and fat contents in the analyzed restaurants are higher than it is recommended by the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population. It is essential that commercial restaurants become partners of public policies on health promotion, adopting good nutritional practices, by reducing the sodium and fat contents, to offer healthy meals daily. Objetivo: Avaliar os teores de sódio e gordura adicionados em preparações de restaurantes comerciais de Goiânia-GO, Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, transversal e descritivo. Foram incluídos restaurantes a quilo, com cardápio padrão médio e que tivessem como preparações fixas arroz branco, feijão de caldo e frango grelhado. Entre os estabelecimentos com essas características, três aceitaram participar. Acompanhou-se o processo produtivo das preparações acima citadas durante três dias não consecutivos em cada estabelecimento. Para a quantificação do teor de sódio e gordura adicionados nas preparações, pesou-se o óleo, o sal e a preparação pronta; definiu-se o peso da porção de referência e o rendimento da preparação pronta em número de porções. A partir desses dados, calculou-se a quantidade per capita de sal e óleo adicionados para preparar uma porção de cada p