Food labels: a critical assessment
- PMID: 24139165
- DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.06.012
Food labels: a critical assessment
Abstract
Objective: Foods sold in packages have both front-of-package (FOP) labels and back-of-package (BOP) labels. The aim of this review is to determine the role they play in informing consumers as to the composition of foods in order to help select a healthy diet.
Methods: Recent literature was evaluated and findings combined with assessments made by the authors of food labels used in the United States and Canada.
Results: Research shows that most consumers have difficulty understanding the information provided by both FOP and BOP food labels used in the United States and Canada. Research has evaluated the merits of alternative designs. FOP labels should be based on a clear and simple design. They should present information on key nutrients (total fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium or salt) and also energy value. They should have color and words that indicate "high," "medium," and "low" levels. Labels can also state quantity per serving. The traffic light system is the best example of this design. An extra traffic light indicating the overall health value of the food should be added. A clearer BOP label also is needed. Implementation of a new food labeling system will probably be opposed by the food industry. More research is needed into which food label designs are most effective, especially for persuading consumers to select healthier food.
Conclusions: Both FOP and BOP food labels used in the United States and Canada need to be redesigned using a traffic light system.
Keywords: Food labels; Serving sizes; Traffic light labels.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Comment in
-
Re: Food labels: a critical assessment.Nutrition. 2014 Oct;30(10):1217-8. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.03.018. Epub 2014 Mar 30. Nutrition. 2014. PMID: 25194618 No abstract available.
Similar articles
-
Front-of-package food labels: A narrative review.Appetite. 2020 Jan 1;144:104485. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104485. Epub 2019 Oct 9. Appetite. 2020. PMID: 31605724 Review.
-
Comparison of two front-of-package nutrition labeling schemes, and their explanation, on consumers' perception of product healthfulness and food choice.Appetite. 2018 Jun 1;125:548-556. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.02.027. Epub 2018 Feb 26. Appetite. 2018. PMID: 29496604 Clinical Trial.
-
Influence of front-of-pack labelling and regulated nutrition claims on consumers' perceptions of product healthfulness and purchase intentions: A randomized controlled trial.Appetite. 2020 Jun 1;149:104629. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104629. Epub 2020 Feb 12. Appetite. 2020. PMID: 32061707 Clinical Trial.
-
Comparing five front-of-pack nutrition labels' influence on consumers' perceptions and purchase intentions.Prev Med. 2018 Jan;106:114-121. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.10.022. Epub 2017 Oct 21. Prev Med. 2018. PMID: 29066375 Free PMC article.
-
Effects of front-of-package and shelf nutrition labeling systems on consumers.Nutr Rev. 2013 Jan;71(1):1-14. doi: 10.1111/nure.12000. Nutr Rev. 2013. PMID: 23282247 Review.
Cited by
-
Associations of Health Literacy with Blood Pressure and Dietary Salt Intake among Adults: A Systematic Review.Nutrients. 2021 Dec 17;13(12):4534. doi: 10.3390/nu13124534. Nutrients. 2021. PMID: 34960086 Free PMC article.
-
Improving Nutrition Information in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Implementation of Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labelling.Nutrients. 2020 Jan 26;12(2):330. doi: 10.3390/nu12020330. Nutrients. 2020. PMID: 31991939 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Where are the low-calorie sweeteners? An analysis of the presence and types of low-calorie sweeteners in packaged foods sold in Brazil from food labelling.Public Health Nutr. 2018 Feb;21(3):447-453. doi: 10.1017/S136898001700283X. Epub 2017 Oct 26. Public Health Nutr. 2018. PMID: 29072154 Free PMC article.
-
Self-Reported Nutritional Factors Are Associated with Weight Loss at 18 Months in a Self-Managed Commercial Program with Food Categorization System: Observational Study.Nutrients. 2021 May 20;13(5):1733. doi: 10.3390/nu13051733. Nutrients. 2021. PMID: 34065277 Free PMC article.
-
Who Reads Food Labels? Selected Predictors of Consumer Interest in Front-of-Package and Back-of-Package Labels during and after the Purchase.Nutrients. 2020 Aug 27;12(9):2605. doi: 10.3390/nu12092605. Nutrients. 2020. PMID: 32867082 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
