Fast Food Franchises in Hospitals

To the Editor: The incidence of obesity is rising at an alarming rate in the United States, with nearly 18% of adult Americans now considered obese.¹ High-calorie diets, due in part to the proliferation of fast food restaurants, are an important contributing factor.² Surprisingly, hospitals—institutions traditionally involved in the promotion of health-related behavior—are increasingly contracting with fast food franchises that frequently offer limited, high-fat, high-calorie menus.³ The prevalence of such franchises in hospitals across the United States is not known.