Qing Wang1, Marije Oostindjer2, Gro V Amdam3, Bjørg Egelandsdal2. 1. Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway. Electronic address: qing.wang@nmbu.no. 2. Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway. 3. Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway; School of Life Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Consumers tend to have the perception that healthy equals less tasty. This study aimed to identify whether information provided by the Keyhole symbol, a widely used front-of-package symbol in Nordic countries to indicate nutritional content, and percent daily values (%DVs) affect Norwegian adolescents' perception of the healthiness of snacks and their intention to buy them. DESIGN: Two tasks were used to evaluate adolescents' perception of snacks with the Keyhole symbol: with %DVs or with no nutrition label. A third task was used to test their abilities to use %DVs (pairwise selections). A survey obtained personal attributes. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 566 Norwegian adolescents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Taste perception, health perception, and ability to use %DVs. ANALYSIS: Linear mixed models and logistic models that tested effects of labels and personal attributes on main outcome measures. RESULTS: The Keyhole symbol increased health perception without influencing taste perception of snacks. Norwegian adolescents had limited abilities to use information from the %DVs correctly to identify healthier foods. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Norwegian adolescents had a positive perception of the Keyhole symbols. Keyhole symbols as a simple, heuristic front-of-package label have potential as an information strategy that may influence self-efficacy in promoting healthy snack choices among adolescents.
OBJECTIVE: Consumers tend to have the perception that healthy equals less tasty. This study aimed to identify whether information provided by the Keyhole symbol, a widely used front-of-package symbol in Nordic countries to indicate nutritional content, and percent daily values (%DVs) affect Norwegian adolescents' perception of the healthiness of snacks and their intention to buy them. DESIGN: Two tasks were used to evaluate adolescents' perception of snacks with the Keyhole symbol: with %DVs or with no nutrition label. A third task was used to test their abilities to use %DVs (pairwise selections). A survey obtained personal attributes. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 566 Norwegian adolescents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Taste perception, health perception, and ability to use %DVs. ANALYSIS: Linear mixed models and logistic models that tested effects of labels and personal attributes on main outcome measures. RESULTS: The Keyhole symbol increased health perception without influencing taste perception of snacks. Norwegian adolescents had limited abilities to use information from the %DVs correctly to identify healthier foods. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Norwegian adolescents had a positive perception of the Keyhole symbols. Keyhole symbols as a simple, heuristic front-of-package label have potential as an information strategy that may influence self-efficacy in promoting healthy snack choices among adolescents.
Authors: Helle Margrete Meltzer; Anne Lise Brantsæter; Ellen Trolle; Hanna Eneroth; Mikael Fogelholm; Trond Arild Ydersbond; Bryndis Eva Birgisdottir Journal: Nutrients Date: 2019-09-18 Impact factor: 5.717