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Published on: August 12, 2016
Consumers believe nutrition facts labeling for added sugar will be more helpful than confusing
Theodore K Kyle1, Diana M Thomas
1ConscienHealth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Objective:
Consumer beliefs regarding the usefulness of information about added sugars proposed for addition to the Nutrition Facts panel on U.S. food labeling were assessed.
Methods:
A representative sample of 500 U.S. adults was recruited in July 2014 for an anonymous, voluntary online survey. Respondents were shown a Nutrition Facts panel with added sugars included and were asked how helpful or confusing the added sugars information would be and why. A 5-point scale captured responses about helpfulness, and reasons were captured as free text. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multi-linear regression performed to determine whether any demographic variables were statistically significant predictors of survey responses.
Results:
A clear majority (63%) of respondents indicated that knowing the amount of added sugar in a food product would be helpful. Relatively few (18%) thought it would be confusing. None of the demographic variables were statistically significant, with the exception of gender. Being female was a statistically significant predictor of how helpful the information was perceived to be (P < 0.03).
Conclusions:
Most consumers believed food labeling for added sugars will be more helpful than confusing.
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