Consumers' understanding and use of nutrition labels on pre-packaged food in Taiyuan

OBJECTIVE: To study the cognition status and using of pre-packaged food nutrition labeling and related knowledge of nutrition in Taiyuan consumers and to provide basis for nutrition education and publicity. METHODS:A self-designed questionnaire included the basic data of respondents,nutrition labeling cognition and usage,nutrition knowledge. Using stratified random sampling method,we surveyed 400 consumers proportionately in 6 districts of Taiyuan city in April to May 2013. The data were collected through residents completing the questionnaire themselves or through being interviewed. Face-to-face interviews data ensured integrity and met the requirements. And the data was analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS:400 people were interviewed and 390 valid questionnairs returned,including 152 males and 238 females,with the mean age as(35.2±14.3) years. Food nutrition label awareness rate was 79.3%;satisfied with the label contents and forms was 83.3%;that nutrition claims and nutrient function claims helpful were 68.7% and 68.3%,respectively;43.3% of consumers always/often read the nutrition facts to understand the nutritional properties of food and suitable diet;61.8% of consumers were willing to change their choice according to the information on nutrition labelling. Logistic regression analysis of factors related to food nutrition labels on food to buy found that consumers who often read the nutrient composition and thought nutrition claims were helpful were more willing to choose according to the label information. CONCLUSION:Consumers' trust on the nutrition label and understanding degree were low,and on the nutritional label cognition and use level were not high. To enable consumers to practically use nutrition label to achieve a rational diet,we should increase publicity and education on consumers to use nutrition labels.