Is it Time to Rethink Nutrition Communications? A 5-Year Retrospective of Americans' Attitudes toward Food, Nutrition, and Health

The Influence of Menu Labeling on Calories Selected or Consumed: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In a recent US consumer research report, 50 the authors concluded that labeling with calories alone is unlikely to be of benefit to consumers because it is well known that consumers struggle with the relationship between calories in food and their overall health, especially weight management. In the prepackaged food environment, there is evidence to suggest that unless some form of interpretive nutrition information is provided, not all consumers access the information; many have a poor understanding of the terms used, and most find it difficult to use the information to place a food choice within the context of their overall diet.…”

“…[54][55][56] Recent findings of consumers' attitudes toward food and nutrition reinforce that taste is the key factor influencing food and beverage choices but that price and convenience have seen a growing influence. 50 Concern for nutrition, although known to influence food choices, differs markedly between and within individuals depending on the context. [57][58][59] Whereas consumers are familiar with dietary guidance messages and other nutrition tools, the majority do not use them to make healthier food choices, which may explain the consistent reports of poor efficacy of menu labels in support of such choices.…”

“…[57][58][59] Whereas consumers are familiar with dietary guidance messages and other nutrition tools, the majority do not use them to make healthier food choices, which may explain the consistent reports of poor efficacy of menu labels in support of such choices. 50 Many factors likely contribute to an individual's motivation and competence to access, understand, and use nutrition information to shape eating habits and manage dietary concerns. 60 The ability to correctly understand, evaluate, and use the nutrition information and to contextualize food choices within the total diet requires a high level of health and functional literacy (eg, numeracy).…”

Communication and Food Messaging: The Consumer Disconnect “From scientific findings to useful consumer information”

“…Further, scientists themselves do not always agree on what constitutes scientific evidence sufficient to warrant changing recommendations to the public, which can add even more confusion. (IFIC 2013) A recent report in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hornick et al 2013) addresses the consumer disconnect between individual attitudes-perceptions and actual behaviours when it comes to achieving a healthful lifestyle. Despite access to "instant" information, individuals do not act on that information when making food choices.…”

Effects of an icon-based menu labelling initiative on consumer food choice

“…36,44 Consumer understanding is highest for formats combining text with other visual cues to indicate healthier items, since this requires less interpretive work on the part of the consumer. [45][46][47][48] However, alternative labelling formats have scarcely been examined within the restaurant context. 36,49,50 The use of icons to designate more healthful options on restaurant menus can help make choosing such options easier especially in the absence of nutrition information.…”