Summary
Food labels comprise a national health-intervention policy that informs consumers of food-product nutritional value. Previous evidence has indicated that, compared to a purely numeric guideline-daily-amount label, a traffic-light-inspired, color-coded label more effectively conveys the nutritional level and increases the selection of healthier products. Therefore, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the mechanism whereby traffic-light and guideline-daily-amount labels influence food-related decision-making. Forty-four female dieters (age, mean = 20.0, standard deviation = 1.45 years) were recruited to participate in a food-choice task; healthy or unhealthy food options were presented with color-coded traffic-light or purely numeric guideline-daily-amount labels, and the participants were asked to state their preference. We found that, compared with the guideline-daily-amount label, a salient, red traffic-light label potentially reduced unhealthy food-related decision-making and activated the superior medial frontal gyrus and the supplementary motor area, which are implicated in the execution of responses and motor inhibition. For the same stimulus contrast, we also found increased activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is associated with salient information monitoring. Finally, we found stronger functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and inhibitory regions (inferior and middle frontal gyri) under red-traffic-light than under guideline-daily-amount label conditions. These results suggest that traffic-light-inspired labels may be a more effective means of public-policy intervention than are numeric labels conveying guideline daily amounts.
Outcomes reported
Referenced by Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT as citation 33; likely supports topic area: front-of-package labelling / warning labels; diet quality / nutrition / dietary guidelines; obesity / chronic disease / public health; nutrient cycling / nitrogen / phosphorus / eutrophication. Topics: diet quality / nutrition / dietary guidelines; front-of-package labelling / warning labels; nutrient cycling / nitrogen / phosphorus / eutrophication; obesity / chronic disease / public health Evidence type: Research article / other Source report: Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT Ref#: Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT #33 Original: Zhang X, Liu Y, Gu Y, Wang S, Chen H. Red for “stop”: “trafficlight” nutrition labels decrease unhealthy food choices by increasing activity and connectivity in the frontal lobe. Nutrients 2020; 12: 128. For more on Bloomberg see https://www.bloomberg.org/ Articles
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