Awareness About Nutrition Facts on Food Labels and Their Influence on Food Selection Among Consumers: Nutrition Facts on Food Labels

Fuad Hameed  Rai; Kinza  Jalal; Zahra  Hussain; Aliezeh  Fatima Rai; Mahliqa  Maqsud; Maham  Khan

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v4i04.442

Authors

Fuad Hameed Rai Deprtment of Community Medicine, Akhtar Saeed Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Kinza Jalal College of Allied Health Sciences, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Zahra Hussain College of Allied Health Sciences, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Aliezeh Fatima Rai CMH Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Mahliqa Maqsud Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
Maham Khan College of Allied Health Sciences, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v4i04.442

Keywords:

Nutrition Facts, Food Labels, Awareness, Eating Habits

Abstract

Nutrition facts on food labels contain complete information about nutrients (fats, proteins, cholesterol, salt, sugar and vitamins) and calorie content of packaged food items. Objective: To determine the awareness about nutrition facts on food labels and their influence on food selection among consumers. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study and was done by using self-designed questionnaire, among 206 individuals of age group between 18 to 65 years, which were selected from different grocery stores and nearby area, after getting their consent. Results: Study findings revealed that around 53% of selected respondents sometimes read nutrition facts on food labels, only 13.1% consumers always read nutrition facts, 14.5% of them never read food labels and only 39% changed their purchasing decision after reading food labels. Results also showed that 48.1% of consumers found nutrition facts helpful and reliable and 60% respondents felt confident an made better choices after reading food labels. Conclusions: The percentage of consumers using food labels is low which means that unhealthy eating is prevailing, so this study can be used as a reference to develop policies regarding awareness about use of nutrition facts on food labels, promoting healthy eating habits in the country.

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