The Relationship between Nutrition Knowledge and Nutrition Facts Table Use in China: A Structural Equation Model.

• 影响指数: 4.614
• 发表时间: 06 2021 10
• 来源期刊: Int J Environ Res Public Health
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126307
• PMID: 34200804
• 文章类型: Journal Article
• 作者列表: Huang Z,Huang B,Huang J

关键词: China; food label; nutrition knowledge; nutrition label; structural equation modeling

Mesh: China; Comprehension; Consumer Behavior; Food Labeling; Food Preferences; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Surveys and Questionnaires

Abstract

Since 2013, China has implemented a nutrition label regulation that aims to provide essential nutrition information through nutrition facts tables labeled on the back of food packages. Yet, the relationship between people\'s nutrition knowledge and their nutrition label use remains less clear. This study adopted the structural equation modeling approach to analyze a nationally representative survey of 1500 Chinese individuals through the cognitive processing model, interrelated nutrition knowledge, attention to nutrition information on the nutrition facts table, comprehension of nutrition information, food choice and dietary intake. It was found that nutrition knowledge positively influenced attention to nutrition information; a better comprehension of nutrition information, which could benefit healthier food choices, did not relate to a higher level of attention to that information; dietary intake was affected significantly by nutrition knowledge, but it had little impact on food choice. The results signify that nutrition knowledge hardly supports nutrition facts table use among the Chinese people, mainly due to incomprehensible labeled information. Therefore, it emphasizes the need to enhance people\'s comprehension through front-of-package labels and corresponding smartphone applications.