Advertisement
Research Original Research| Volume 113, ISSUE 2, P241-250, February 2013

Single-Larger-Portion-Size and Dual-Column Nutrition Labeling May Help Consumers Make More Healthful Food Choices

Published:January 23, 2013DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2012.11.006

      Abstract

      Background

      The Food and Drug Administration is considering changes to the Nutrition Facts label to help consumers make more healthful choices.

      Objective

      To examine the effects of modifications to the Nutrition Facts label on foods that can be listed as having 1 or 2 servings per container, but are reasonably consumed at a single eating occasion.

      Design

      Participants were randomly assigned to study conditions that varied on label format, product, and nutrition profile. Data were collected via an online consumer panel.

      Participants/setting

      Adults aged 18 years and older were recruited from Synovate's online household panel. Data were collected during August 2011. A total of 32,897 invitations were sent for a final sample of 9,493 interviews.

      Intervention

      Participants were randomly assigned to one of 10 label formats classified into three groups: listing 2 servings per container with a single column, listing 2 servings per container with a dual column, and listing a single serving per container. Within these groups there were versions that enlarged the font size for “calories,” removed “calories from fat,” and changed the wording for serving size declaration.

      Main outcome measures

      The single product task measured product healthfulness, the amount of calories and various nutrients per serving and per container, and label perceptions. The product comparison task measured ability to identify the healthier product and the product with fewer calories per container and per serving.

      Statistical analyses performed

      Analysis of covariance models with Tukey-Kramer tests were used. Covariates included general label use, age, sex, level of education, and race/ethnicity.

      Results

      Single-serving and dual-column formats performed better and scored higher on most outcome measures.

      Conclusions

      For products that contain 2 servings but are customarily consumed at a single eating occasion, using a single-serving or dual-column labeling approach may help consumers make healthier food choices.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

      1. Food labeling: Mandatory status of nutrition labeling and nutrient content revision, format for nutrition label. 58 Federal Register 2079.
        1993 (codified at 21 CFR §101.9)
        • Choiniére C.J.
        • Lando A.
        2008 FDA Health and Diet Survey topline frequencies.
        (Updated November 28, 2011. Accessed April 27, 2012)
        • Ollberding N.J.
        • Wolf R.L.
        • Contento I.
        Food label use and its relation to dietary intake among US adults.
        J Am Diet Assoc. 2010; 110: 1233-1237
        • Temple J.L.
        • Johnson K.
        • Recupero K.
        • Suders H.
        Nutrition labels decrease energy intake in adults consuming lunch in the laboratory.
        J Am Diet Assoc. 2010; 110: 1094-1097
        • Flegal K.M.
        • Carroll M.D.
        • Kit B.K.
        • Ogden C.L.
        Prevalence of obesity and trends in the distribution of body mass index among US adults, 1999-2010.
        JAMA. 2012; 307: 491-497
        • Ogden C.L.
        • Carroll M.D.
        • Kit B.K.
        • Flegal K.M.
        Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999-2010.
        JAMA. 2012; 307: 483-490
      2. Calories count: Report of the Working Group on Obesity.
        (Published March 12, 2004. Updated November 10, 2011. Accessed April 27, 2012)
      3. Food labeling: Prominence of calories. 70 Federal Register 17008.
        2005
      4. Food labeling: Serving sizes of products that can reasonably be consumed at one eating occasion; updating the reference amounts customarily consumed; approaches for recommending smaller portion sizes. 70 Federal Register 17010.
        2005
      5. Food labeling: Mandatory status of nutrition labeling and nutrient content revision, format for nutrition label. 58 Federal Register 2079.
        1993 (codified at 21 CFR §101.12)
        • Wansink B.
        Environmental factors that increase the food intake and consumption volume of unknowing consumers.
        Annu Rev Nutr. 2004; 24: 455-479
        • Mohr G.S.
        • Lichtenstein D.R.
        • Janiszewski C.
        The effect of marketer-suggested serving size on consumer responses: The unintended consequences of consumer attention to calorie information.
        J Mark. 2012; 76: 59-75
        • Pelletier A.L.
        • Chang W.W.
        • Delzell J.E.
        • McCall J.W.
        Patients' understanding and use of snack food package nutrition labels.
        J Am Board Fam Pract. 2004; 17: 319-323
        • Lando A.M.
        • Labiner-Wolfe J.
        Helping consumers make more healthful food choices: Consumer views on modifying food labels and providing point-of-purchase nutrition information at quick-service restaurants.
        J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39: 157-163
        • Antonuk B.
        • Block L.G.
        The effect of single serving versus entire package nutritional information on consumption norms and actual consumption of a snack food.
        J Nutr Educ Behav. 2006; 38: 365-370
        • Labiner-Wolfe J.
        • Lin C.T.J.
        • Verrill L.
        Effect of low-carbohydrate claims on consumer perceptions about food products' healthfulness and helpfulness for weight management.
        J Nutr Educ and Behav. 2010; 42: 315-320
        • Lin C.T.J.
        How do consumers interpret health messages on food labels?.
        Nutrition Today. 2008; 43: 267-272
        • Levy A.S.
        • Fein S.B.
        Consumers' ability to perform tasks using nutrition labels.
        J Nutr Educ. 1998; 30: 210-217
        • Levy A.S.
        • Fein S.B.
        • Schucker R.E.
        More effective nutrition label formats are not nececessarily preferred.
        J Am Diet Assoc. 1992; 92: 1230-1234
        • Levy A.S.
        • Fein S.B.
        • Schucker R.E.
        Performance characteristics of seven nutrition label formats.
        J Public Policy Mark. 1996; 15: 1-15
        • Lin C.T.J.
        • Lee J.Y.
        • Yen S.T.
        Do dietary intakes affect search for nutrient information on food labels?.
        Soc Sci Med. 2004; 59: 1955-1967

      Biography

      A. M. Lando is a consumer science specialist, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD.

      Biography

      S. C. Lo is a consumer science specialist, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD.