The nutritional value and health issues of in-flight meals offered by Greek airlines – a preliminary study

Abstract

Recent data suggest that frequent flying may contribute to the prevalence of obesity. Frequent flyers are prone to excessive energy consumption and decreased physical activity. The aim of the present study was to determine the nutritional value of in-flight meals. On 12 flights of two major Greek airlines, meals were collected in-flight and weighed on the ground. Flight duration and destination, as well as passenger class, were recorded. Meals were analyzed using United States Department of Agriculture Food Search for Windows SR18. Analysis showed that menus were high in energy, fat and sodium, with international meals having the highest energy and fat content of all. The two airline companies provided meals with different energy and mineral content, as well as the majority of the vitamins examined. Passengers should aim to consume only half of the meals offered, in order to keep their energy balance. Menus of high nutritional value and low energy content might not necessarily be expensive for airlines, but would certainly provide a strong feeling of care and support for individual passengers and their health.