Promoting public health through nutrition labeling - a study in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Food and nutrition education allows individuals to build knowledge and values, reframe their food practices, and develop strategies for a healthy diet. Food choices within the diet represent a determinant of individual health status. Regardless of the food quality, the consumption of calorie-dense foods does not promote better health conditions for the population and can worsen emerging health problems. The present study aimed to describe and analyze the effectiveness of educational activities related to nutrition information for enabling healthy food choices, as a tool to promote public health. METHODS: To describe and analyze the effectiveness of an educational intervention regarding nutrition labeling as a tool to promote healthy food choices, 702 individuals were enrolled in the present quasi-experimental study. The Wilcoxon and McNemar tests were used to compare the pre- and post-intervention data, and a p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 702 participants (mean age, 26.6 years), 17.4 % were male, and 82.6 % were female. The education level was high school for 53.2 % of the participants. The mean income was R$ 1969.54 (about 500 USD). In the pre-test, 55.8 % of the respondents reported consulting the nutrition information provided on packaged foods. At the post-test, 72.0 % of respondents reported consulting this information (p < 0.001; Table 1). However, the change in the response regarding the purchase of packaged products was borderline significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the intervention was feasible and acceptable and improved knowledge regarding the role of nutrition labeling in promoting healthy eating. These results support the importance of an educational intervention to reinforce healthy food choices.

[Consumer use of nutrition labels in the city of Natal, Brazil]. / Utilização da informação nutricional de rótulos por consumidores de Natal, Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of consumers who read nutrition labels and the association between reading the labels and sociodemographic variables, and to identify suggestions from consumers to make nutrition labels more effective as a source of information. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study carried out in 2008, 368 adults randomly selected from 23 supermarkets in the city of Natal, Brazil, were interviewed. Data were obtained through a semistructured questionnaire including eight closed questions and 10 open questions. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 40.99 years (± 13.58). The interviews showed that 94.6% of the participants read the nutrition labels and that 96.8% considered the labels important or very important; however, only 3.8% stated that they fully understand the labels. There was a significant association between being motivated to read food labels to make healthier choices (35.7%) and higher family income and schooling (P < 0.0001). The measures mentioned by study participants to increase readability and usage included having qualified professionals provide guidance concerning the labels in supermarkets (73.9%) and disseminating through the media information on food labels, what they are, why they are important, and their role (42.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Consumers did use the labels for nutritional guidance, especially those with higher income and schooling. However, the need to improve the labels was evident, as was the importance of providing opportunities for consumers to learn about the nutritional characteristics of food products.

Utilização da informação nutricional de rótulos por consumidores de Natal, Brasil / Consumer use of nutrition labels in the city of Natal, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Determinar a porcentagem de consumidores que consultam a declaração nutricional nos rótulos dos alimentos e a associação entre essa consulta e variáveis sociodemográficas; e identificar sugestões dos consumidores para que a declaração nutricional seja mais eficaz como instrumento de informação. MÉTODOS: Neste estudo transversal realizado em 2008, 368 adultos foram entrevistados na Cidade de Natal, Brasil, selecionados aleatoriamente em 23 supermercados. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de um questionário semiestruturado, composto de oito perguntas fechadas e 10 questões abertas. RESULTADOS: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 40,99 anos (± 13,58). Dos entrevistados, 94,6 por cento consultavam os rótulos e 96,8 por cento consideravam a declaração nutricional importante e muito importante, mas somente 3,8 por cento declararam que compreendiam totalmente a declaração nutricional. A verificação da declaração nutricional com a finalidade de fazer escolhas alimentares mais saudáveis (35.7 por cento) associou-se de forma significativa com o nível de escolaridade e a renda familiar (P < 0,0001). As medidas sugeridas para que a declaração nutricional seja melhor compreendida e utilizada foram principalmente orientação sobre a declaração nutricional realizada por profissionais qualificados nos supermercados (73,9 por cento) e divulgação na mídia sobre o que é a informação nutricional, sua importância e finalidade (42,9 por cento). CONCLUSÕES: Os consumidores utilizavam a declaração nutricional para orientação nutricional, especialmente na presença de renda e escolaridade mais elevadas. Entretanto, fica evidente a necessidade de melhorar os rótulos e promover mais oportunidades para a aprendizagem sobre as características nutricionais dos produtos industrializados.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of consumers who read nutrition labels and the association between reading the labels and sociodemographic variables, and to identify suggestions from consumers to make nutrition labels more effective as a source of information. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study carried out in 2008, 368 adults randomly selected from 23 supermarkets in the city of Natal, Brazil, were interviewed. Data were obtained through a semistructured questionnaire including eight closed questions and 10 open questions. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 40.99 years (± 13.58). The interviews showed that 94.6 percent of the participants read the nutrition labels and that 96.8 percent considered the labels important or very important; however, only 3.8 percent stated that they fully understand the labels. There was a significant association between being motivated to read food labels to make healthier choices (35.7 percent) and higher family income and schooling (P < 0.0001). The measures mentioned by study participants to increase readability and usage included having qualified professionals provide guidance concerning the labels in supermarkets (73.9 percent) and disseminating through the media information on food labels, what they are, why they are important, and their role (42.9 percent). CONCLUSIONS: Consumers did use the labels for nutritional guidance, especially those with higher income and schooling. However, the need to improve the labels was evident, as was the importance of providing opportunities for consumers to learn about the nutritional characteristics of food products.