Burger King begins limiting sodium in "Kids Meals"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Burger King Corp, the world's No. 2 hamburger chain, will limit sodium in its "Kids Meals" as it works to change its reputation for serving some of the industry's most unhealthy food.

The move from the Miami-based company comes as local and state lawmakers slap more rules on eateries, ranging from banning artery-choking transfat to requiring calorie counts on restaurant menus.

Burger King said on Wednesday it would limit sodium to 600 milligrams or less in all of its Kids Meals advertised to children younger than 12.

While the company may be the first to publicly announce such a move, some rivals have already offered such meals.

McDonald's Corp already prepares its children's meals with less sodium. Its four-piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal, which includes Apple Dippers, caramel dip, and one percent low-fat white milk, has 390 calories and 570 milligrams of sodium, according to McDonald's website.

Burger King, which was among the last major fast-food purveyors to eliminate transfat from its food, has been criticized for not putting enough focus on health and nutrition.

"They have some of the fattiest, saltiest foods out there. It's refreshing that Burger King is thinking along the lines of improving nutrition," said Michael Jacobson, executive director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Jacobson's group in August dinged fast-food chains for being loaded with fat and salt.

Most people in the United States eat more sodium than they need, which can put them at risk for high blood pressure, according to The National Institutes of Health. The NIH recommends that most adults consume less than 2,400 milligrams per day. A teaspoon of salt has about 2,300 milligrams of sodium.

There are usually high levels of sodium in processed and restaurant food. But sodium also occurs naturally in foods like milk -- one cup (237 milliliters) of low-fat milk has just over 100 milligrams of sodium.

CURRENT MEALS MEETING NEW CRITERIA

Burger King's currently advertised Kids Meal is its first to meet the new criteria. It includes smaller portions of vitamin-fortified Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Burger King's Fresh Apple Fries with caramel dipping sauce and Hershey's 1 percent low-fat milk.

The meal has 340 calories and 505 milligrams of sodium. Other Kids Meal options that meet the company's new criteria are in development and will be rolled out by next summer.

According to nutritional information on Burger King's website, a meal of a hamburger, fries and diet soda from the company's kids' menu has 520 calories and 950 milligrams of sodium.

Nutrition guidelines published on MayoClinic.com suggest sodium limits for children range from 1,000 milligrams for 2- to 3-year-olds to 1,500 milligrams for 14- to 18-year-olds.

Burger King also said it will feature information about adult meal combinations that provide 650 calories or less on tray liners at participating restaurants.

That effort will begin in New York City, which has been a leader in legislating healthier restaurant food, and eventually introduced nationwide.

"Any time a big corporation like Burger King or McDonald's or other fast-food companies make a move toward offering healthier foods for children or adults, it's a good thing," said nutritionist Samantha Heller, who also hosts a radio show on New York University Langone Medical Center's Doctor Radio.

"I'd like to see them go further in their steps to make the food healthier," she said.

Shares of Burger King closed down almost 4 percent at $19.08 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein, editing by Maureen Bavdek, Bernard Orr, Leslie Gevirtz)