Leandro Machín1, Jessica Aschemann-Witzel2, María Rosa Curutchet3, Ana Giménez4, Gastón Ares5. 1. Centro de Investigación Básica en Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. 2. MAPP Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. 3. Observatorio de Seguridad Alimentaria, Instituto Nacional de Alimentación, Montevideo, Uruguay. 4. Sensometrics and Consumer Science, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Canelones, Uruguay. 5. Centro de Investigación Básica en Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Sensometrics and Consumer Science, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Canelones, Uruguay. Electronic address: gastonares@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how information about low nutrient content included in the traffic light labeling system influences consumers' perception of the healthfulness of products with high content of 1 key nutrient, and to compare the traffic light system with warnings in terms of the perception of healthfulness. DESIGN: Images of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels (the traffic light labeling system with different numbers of nutrients with low content, and warnings) were evaluated in study 1, whereas product labels featuring the different FOP nutrition labels were evaluated in study 2. SETTING: Online studies conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,228 Uruguayan Facebook users. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perception of healthfulness. ANALYSIS: The researchers used ANOVA to evaluate the influence of FOP nutrition labels on perceived healthfulness. RESULTS: The inclusion of information about low nutrient content in the traffic light system statistically significantly increased the perception of the healthfulness of products with high nutrient content. Nutritional warnings showed healthfulness ratings similar to those of the simplified version of the traffic light system. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Information about low nutrient content in the traffic light system might be used to infer health, and thus could raise the perception of healthfulness and decrease the traffic light system's efficacy in discouraging the consumption of unhealthful products. A simplified version of the traffic light highlighting only high-nutrient content or nutritional warnings seems to overcome this problem.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how information about low nutrient content included in the traffic light labeling system influences consumers' perception of the healthfulness of products with high content of 1 key nutrient, and to compare the traffic light system with warnings in terms of the perception of healthfulness. DESIGN: Images of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels (the traffic light labeling system with different numbers of nutrients with low content, and warnings) were evaluated in study 1, whereas product labels featuring the different FOP nutrition labels were evaluated in study 2. SETTING: Online studies conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,228 Uruguayan Facebook users. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perception of healthfulness. ANALYSIS: The researchers used ANOVA to evaluate the influence of FOP nutrition labels on perceived healthfulness. RESULTS: The inclusion of information about low nutrient content in the traffic light system statistically significantly increased the perception of the healthfulness of products with high nutrient content. Nutritional warnings showed healthfulness ratings similar to those of the simplified version of the traffic light system. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Information about low nutrient content in the traffic light system might be used to infer health, and thus could raise the perception of healthfulness and decrease the traffic light system's efficacy in discouraging the consumption of unhealthful products. A simplified version of the traffic light highlighting only high-nutrient content or nutritional warnings seems to overcome this problem.
Authors: Ana Clara Duran; Camila Zancheta Ricardo; Laís Amaral Mais; Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins; Lindsey Smith Taillie Journal: Nutrients Date: 2019-12-05 Impact factor: 5.717