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Critics blast new fast-food menu items

New breadless double-chicken sandwich, fried bologna a step back in fight against obesity, dietitians say

Business Wire The Oscar Mayer Fried Bologna Biscuit from Hardee's

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Blog: Watch a commercial for KFC's new Double Down 'sandwich'

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By Mark Fisher, Staff Writer Updated 7:43 PM Tuesday, August 25, 2009

New menu items unveiled this week by a pair of prominent fast-food chains — including a “breadless” sandwich that uses a pair of fried chicken fillets as the bun surrounding bacon and cheese — have dismayed local dietetics and nutrition specialists who say the dishes are a step backward in the fight against obesity.

KFC — which just a few months ago strongly touted the healthy nature of its new Grilled Chicken offerings — is test-marketing a new sandwich called the “Double Down,” which replaces bread with two Original Recipe fried-chicken fillets that enclose bacon, two kinds of cheese and “the Colonel’s sauce,” according to Nation’s Restaurant News. A KFC spokesman confirmed to NRN that the chain began test marketing the Double Down a few weeks ago in Omaha, Neb., and Providence, R.I., but has not determined final nutritional data for the sandwich or whether it will be offered nationwide. Meanwhile, the Hardee’s fast-food chain this week unveiled a new breakfast item: a Fried Bologna Biscuit, grilled bologna topped with American cheese and egg served on a biscuit.

“My patients who are trying to cut down on their fats, and products like these are going to undermine those efforts,” said Dr. Susan Williams, director of the Center for Nutrition and Metabolic Medicine for Kettering Health Network-Greene Memorial Hospital.

Fast-food chains take advantage of their customer’s lack of knowledge about nutrition, Williams said. Customers may assume that a sandwich with no bread might be good for them, when in fact it could include a full day’s recommended serving of fat and calories, said Williams, who is also clinical assistant professor of community health and internal medicine at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine.

Kinsy McNamee — a registered dietitian for Miami Valley Hospital who works with patients who have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and diabetes — said it “is a bit of an injustice that these items are even available.” Some of her patients are shocked to learn the calorie and fat content of some of their favorite fast-food menu items, McNamee said, and the new menu items suggest that “we’re headed in the wrong direction” in fast-food nutrition.

McDonald’s rolled out its “Angus Third Pounder” line of premium burgers nationally earlier this summer, and Wendy’s announced Aug. 6 that it plans to launch a premium bacon cheeseburger in October.

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