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Abstract
Comparisons of five Food and Drug Administration Health and Diet Surveys conducted
in the 1980s provide estimates of the numbers of consumers who report that they pay
attention to ingredient lists and nutrition labels and identify trends based on replicated
measures. Recent estimates indicate that more than four out of five U.S. consumers
report that they pay attention to one or both types of label information, with just
under three-fourths reporting use of each individual information source. There was
no net increase in consumer use of the food label ingredient list from 1982 to 1986,
but use of the nutrition label increased significantly. Consumers who use both types
of labels are more likely to be young (25–34), white, female, better educated, and
to follow a self-initiated or doctor-prescribed low-sodium or low-cholesterol diet.
Educators now face a challenge—to address remaining knowledge gaps, particularly among
population groups who are less likely to use labels, and to develop practical strategies
to help all consumers make more effective use of food label information in dietary
management.
Resume
Cinq enquêtes sur la santé et l’alimentation menées par la Food and Drug Administration
et effectuées entre 1982 et 1988, fournissent des estimés du nombre de consommateurs
qui prêtent attention à la liste des ingrédients et à l’information nutritionelle
sur les étiquettes. Aussi, la comparaison de ces enquêtes répétées permet d’identifier
les tendances. Les données les plus récentes indiquent que plus de quatre consommateurs
américains sur cinq rapportent qu'ils prêtent attention à l’un ou l’autre ou à ces
deux types d’informations (liste des ingrédients et informations nutritionnelles)
alors qu'un peu moins des trois quarts rapportent qu'ils utilisent chacune de ces
sources d’informations. Il n'a pas eu d’augmentation du nombre de consommateurs utilisant
la liste des ingrédients entre 1982 et 1986. Cependant, l’utilisation de l’information
nutritionnelle a augmenté significativement durant cette même période. Les consommateurs
qui utilisent les deux types d’informations sont plus susceptibles d’être jeunes (25–34),
de race blanche, de sexe féminin, mieux éduqués et de suivre un régime réduit en sodium
ou réduit en cholestérol, auto-prescrit ou prescrit par un médecin. Les éducateurs
font maintenant face aux défis suivants: s'adresser au manque d’information, particulièrement
parmi les groupes de la population moins susceptibles d’utiliser les étiquettes et
de développer des stratégies pratiques pour aider tous les consommateurs à faire une
meilleure utilisation de l’information fournie par les étiquettes dans le contrôle
de leur régime alimentaire.
Resumen
A partir de la comparacion de cinco encuestas dieteticas y de salud realizadas por
la Administracion de Alimentos y Drogas durante la decada de los ochenta se estimo
el numero de consumidores que utilizan la lista de ingredientes y la information nutritional
de las etiquetas de los alimentas. Se identificaron tendencias basadas en la repeticion
de las medidas. Estimaciones recientes indican que mas de cuatro de cada cinco consumidores
estadounidenses prestan atencion a uno o ambos tipos de informacion, y un poco menos
de tres cuartos utiliza cada una de las fuentes de informacion. No hubo incremento
neto en el uso por parte de los consumidores del listado de ingredients en la etiqueta
de los alimentas entre 1982 y 1986, pero la utilization de la informacion nutritional
aumento significativamente. Los consumidores que utilizan ambos tipos de informacion
tienen la probabilidad de ser mas jovenes (25–34), blancos, tener sexo femenino, mayor
nivel educativo, y de seguir dietas bajas en sodio o colesterol, ya sea por inciativa
propia o receta medica. Ahora, los educadores estan de cara a un reto: cerrar la brecha
en el conocimiento entre los grupos de poblacion que tienen menor probabilidad de
leer las etiquetas, y desarrollar estrategias practicas para ayudar a todos los consumidores
a hacer uso mas efectivo de esta informacion en el manejo dietetico.
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Copyright
© 1992 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
