Movie popcorn still getting a thumbs down, study finds

Hold the butter?OK movie-goers: Snack-sneaking is no longer allowed at AMC, Regal and other big chains. But here's something else to think about before you stop at the concessions stand.

Imagine munching down three Quarter Pounders topped with 12 pats of butter while watching a movie at the theater. Isn't that a pretty picture?

According to a study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, that burger meal is the nutritional equivalent of snacking on a medium-sized popcorn and medium soda at Regal Entertainment, the nation's largest movie chain.

Surprised?

The nonprofit research group -- the same group that has found all sorts of unhealthy reasons to avoid Mexican food and others -- commissioned a laboratory review of the nutritional value of movie theater concessions. The group bought multiple servings of popcorn from Regal, Kansas City-based AMC Entertainment, and Cinemark.

It found that Regal popcorn contains 1,200 calories, and 60 grams of saturated fat. Regal said its medium serving had 720 calories.

AMC's medium popcorn did better, partly because of its smaller size (nine cups versus 20 at Regal). According to the study, AMC's medium popcorn contained 590 calories and 33 grams of saturated fat.

AMC's large popcorn has 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat. "That's like eating a pound of baby back ribs topped with a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream -- except that the popcorn has an additional day's worth of saturated fat," the study said.

AMC and Regal use coconut oil, which is about 90 percent saturated fat, according to the research organization. Cinemark pops in canola oil, and its popcorn recorded much much lower saturated fat levels.

The consumer advocacy group did a similar study on movie theater concessions 15 years ago. And according to a Los Angeles Times story, "little has changed in the last decade and a half, despite theaters' attempts to reformulate."