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Food Labels Lead to Healthy Food Choices

Posted by on 5 September 2010 | 0 Comments

People who read food labels have healthier diets than those who don't pay attention to such information, according to a research study. Researchers analysed data from the 2005-06 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that 61.6 percent of respondents said they read the nutrition facts panels, 51.6 percent examine the list of ingredients, 47.2 percent read the serving size and 43.8 percent review health claims at least sometimes when deciding whether to buy a food product. There were significant differences between label readers and non-readers in their intake of total calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, dietary fiber and sugars, the researchers said. Low rates of label use also suggest that the food label may need to be modified. Suggested changes to the current label "include bolding calorie information, reporting the total nutrient intake for foods likely to be consumed in a single sitting, and using more intuitive labeling that requires less cognitive processing such as a red, yellow and green 'traffic light' signs on the front of the label," according to the research. The food label alone is not enough to change behavior, but it can be a valuable tool in combating obesity and diet-related chronic disease, he concluded. SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Aug. 2, 2010, news release.