Summary
Abstract Objective Warnings have recently been proposed as a new type of directive front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling scheme to flag products with high content of key nutrients. In the present work, this system was compared with the two most common FOP nutrition labelling schemes (Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) and traffic-light system) in terms of goal-directed attention, influence on perceived healthfulness and ability to differentiate between products. Design/Setting/Subjects Goal-directed attention to FOP labels was evaluated using a visual search task in which participants were presented with labels on a computer screen and were asked to indicate whether labels with high sodium content were present or absent. A survey with 387 participants was also carried out, in which the influence of FOP labels on perceived healthfulness and ability to identify the healthful alternative were evaluated. Results Warnings improved consumers’ ability to correctly identify a product with high content of a key nutrient within a set of labels compared with GDA and received the highest goal-directed attention. In addition, products with high energy, saturated fat, sugar and/or sodium content that featured warnings on the label were perceived as less healthful than those featuring the GDA or traffic-light system. Warnings and the traffic-light system performed equally well in the identification of the most healthful product. Conclusions Results from the present work suggest that warnings have potential as directive FOP nutrition labels to improve consumer ability to identify unhealthful products and highlight advantages compared with the traffic-light system.
Outcomes reported
Referenced by Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT as citation 30; likely supports topic area: front-of-package labelling / warning labels; diet quality / nutrition / dietary guidelines; obesity / chronic disease / public health. Topics: diet quality / nutrition / dietary guidelines; front-of-package labelling / warning labels; obesity / chronic disease / public health Evidence type: Research article / other Source report: Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT Ref#: Lancet Public Health FOPL RCT #30 Original: Arrúa A, Machín L, Curutchet MR, et al. Warnings as a directive front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme: comparison with the guideline daily amount and traffic-light systems. Public Health Nutr 2017; 20: 2308-17.
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