| Figuring out food labels. Young adults' understanding of nutritional information presented on food labels is inadequate. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 22210347 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Nutritional labelling of packaged foods, mandated by law, includes details of the food content and composition - information that can affect individual and public lifestyle decisions and health status. We studied the comprehension of food labels among 120 young adults (mean age 24.1 years) attending an international travel immunization clinic. Each participant was presented with 10 food packages of common local products and was interviewed regarding the label's content. Most subjects (77.5%) reported that they took note of the food labels; women, the more educated and those engaging regularly in physical exercise were more inclined to do so. Out of a possible 10 points the overall median comprehension score was 6.0 (mean 5.7±1.8). The nutritional table section of the food label was understood the best, and the nutritional declaration section the least. The subjects thought they understood the food labels better than they actually did; 43.9% stated that they understood them very well, whereas only 27.2% achieved high scores. This inadequate comprehension of food labels represents a missed opportunity to provide essential information necessary for healthy food choices at the individual level. A combination of strategies is necessary, including improving food labels (simplification and standardization) combined with targeted educational programs. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Miri Sharf; Ruti Sela; Gary Zentner; Hanna Shoob; Iris Shai; Chen Stein-Zamir |
Related Documents
:
|
22121387 - Late type of bronchial response to milk ingestion challenge: a comparison of open and d... 21933297 - Eating patterns amongst heroin users: a qualitative study with implications for nutriti... 9597727 - X-ray diffraction of food polysaccharides. 17160347 - Conversion of sucrose into isomaltulose by enterobacter sp. fmb1, an isomaltulose-produ... 18445447 - Web-based questionnaires - a tool used in a campylobacter outbreak investigation in sto... 9633097 - Detection and characterization of a bacteriocin produced by lactococcus lactis subsp. c... |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article Date: 2011-12-20 |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Appetite Volume: 58 ISSN: 1095-8304 ISO Abbreviation: Appetite Publication Date: 2012 Apr |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2012-02-22 Completed Date: 2012-06-19 Revised Date: 2012-10-24 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 8006808 Medline TA: Appetite Country: England |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 531-4 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
|
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Affiliation:
|
Jerusalem District Health Office, 86 Jaffa Road, Jerusalem 94341, Israel. miri.sharf@lbjr.health.gov.il |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Adult Comprehension* Educational Status Exercise Female Food Labeling* Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Health Promotion Humans Israel Life Style Male Sex Factors Young Adult |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Erratum In:
|
Appetite. 2012 Oct;59(2):617 |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: The research strategies for probing the function of long noncoding RNAs.
Next Document: A model of goal directed vegetable parenting practices.