FDA Survey Finds More Americans Read Information on Food Labels

Almost two-thirds (64%) of Americans report seeing nutrition labeling on menus, napkins or placemats in restaurants and about one-half of them use the information often or sometimes.

3 Mar 2010 --- A majority of consumers read food labels and are increasingly aware of the link between good nutrition and reducing the risk of disease, according to the latest survey of dietary habits released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The 2008 U.S. Health and Diet Survey of more than 2,500 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that, for the first time, more than half of those surveyed "often" read a label the first time they buy a product. Yet, while the number of consumers reading a food label the first time they buy a product has risen, consumers are skeptical of industry claims such as "low fat," "high fiber," or "cholesterol free" on the front of packages.

The 2008 survey is the 10th such survey since 1982. It was based on a random-digit-dialing telephone survey weighted for the number of phone lines and adults in a household, gender, race/ethnicity, and education. Calls for the survey were made between Sept. 6, 2008, and Dec. 7, 2008. The overall 95 percent confidence level is plus or minus 2 percentage points. Key findings included:

More Americans know about the link between diet and heart disease.
• The percent of the U.S. population who know diet is related to heart disease increased from 83% in 2002 to 91% in 2008.
o Among them, fats were frequently mentioned as related to heart disease, 53% in 2002, and 62% in 2008
• The percent of the U.S. population who know that certain foods or drinks may help prevent heart disease or heart attacks remained the same in 2002 and 2008 at 81%. Fruits and vegetables were most frequently linked with reducing heart disease.
o However, of those who were aware of the link, fewer mentioned the link between vegetables and heart disease (49% in 2002 and 34% in 2008) and between fruits and heart disease (36% in 2002 and 32% in 2008).

Americans’ knowledge of relationship between the types of fat they eat and heart disease has risen dramatically:
• The percent of the U.S. population that correctly identify that trans fat in the diet may raise the risk of heart disease has almost doubled in only four years- from 32% in 2004 to 62% in 2008.
• The percent of the U.S. population that correctly identify that omega 3 fatty acids may lower the risk of heart disease increased from 31% in 2004 to 52% in 2008.
• The percent of the U.S. population that correctly identify that saturated fat may raise the risk of heart disease did not show much change from 74% in 2004 to 73% in 2008.

Americans’ use of the food label has increased:
• The percent of the U.S. population that report “often” reading a food label the first time they buy a product increased from 44% in 2002 to 54% in 2008.
• Of those that read food labels when purchasing a product for the first time in 2008, the food label was most often used to:
o See how high or low a food is in things like calories, salt, vitamins or fat (two-thirds of consumers).
o Get a general idea of the nutritional content of the food (over one-half).
• Reported use of calorie information on the food label is mixed with almost one-half (46%) of the U.S. population saying they often use the label to gain calorie information and about one-third (34%) rarely or never using calorie information.

Use of nutrient content claims on the front of food packages is mixed among Americans.
• Reported use of nutrient content claims such as “low fat,” “high fiber,” and “cholesterol-free” is also mixed
o 38% of the U.S. population using such claims often,
o 34% sometimes, and
o 27% rarely/never using these types of claims.
• Reported use of the claim “0 grams of trans fat” is also mixed.
o 31% of the U.S. population saying they often refer to this claim,
o 36% sometimes, and
o 32% rarely/never refer to this claim.

Americans express different degrees of trust about claims on food labels.
• 41% of Americans trust that all or most of the nutrient claims such as “low fat” or “high fiber” are accurate while 56% believe that some or none of them are accurate.
• 56% of those who have ever used the “0 grams of trans fat” claim believe that all or most of the trans fat claims are accurate, while another 42% of them believe only some or none of the claims are accurate.

Almost two-thirds (64%) of Americans report seeing nutrition labeling on menus, napkins or placemats in restaurants and about one-half of them use the information often or sometimes.