rob mcneill, phd school of population health university of auckland new zealand

Nutritional information labels for improving

healthier food choices

Rob McNeill, PhD

School of Population HealthUniversity of Auckland

New Zealand

Background

One of the popular ways in which we have tried to promote healthy food choices is by providing nutritional information

Some examples of these include: Nutrition panels (energy, fat, sugar, salt, etc.) Food energy information (calories/kilojoules) ‘Traffic light’ systems New system for Australia (& NZ?) – Star system

Here’s broadly what we ‘know’…

Nutritional panels and food energy information can have an effect Often quite a small effect Many studies have found no effect Effect might be greater for the most unhealthy foods If we give extra information, such as recommended daily intake

(RDI), the effect seems to increase (sometimes) Traffic light systems can have an effect

Consumers prefer this system Some studies have found clinically significant effects Some studies have found no effect, or a very small effect The ‘feeling’ among ‘experts’ seems to be that this system

should be more effective than calorie information▪ It is easier to interpret▪ It sends a clearer message▪ It is not usually just based on one nutritional fact (e.g. calories)

What I’ve been doing…

Study 1: Food Energy Information in a Non-Fast Food Setting Online survey 439 Students randomised to 1 of 2 conditions:

▪ Menus with and without food energy information Asked to make two selections – breakfast & lunch In two social situations – with friends or family

Study 2: Nutrition Panel & Traffic Light System in a Fast Food Setting Online survey 357 students randomised to 1 of 3 conditions

▪ Menu with no nutritional information▪ Menu with nutrition panel information (kilojoules, fat, sugar, salt)▪ Menu with multiple traffic light system (overall, kilojoules, fat, sugar,

salt) Asked to make food choices – burger, sides & drink

Key findings

Mal

e

Fem

ale

0

1000

2000

3000

No Informa-tionFood Energy Information

Kil

ojo

ule

s

p<.05

ns

Friends

Family0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

No Informa-tionFood Energy Information

Kil

ojo

ule

s

Study 1

Study 2

?

Conclusions & future directions No clear and consistent evidence that providing

nutritional information would actually make a difference at a clinical or population level

We simply don’t have a big enough body of research So why are governments currently implementing systems

that have little evidence? The food industry does not want anything that will

reduce consumption of any foods “there are no unhealthy foods, only unhealthy diets”

argement We need to build the body of evidence to help the

argument for whether we should be pushing for these labels, and if so, which system will work the best

No Nutritional InformationImagine that you are eating breakfast in a restaurant with your family. From the menu provided below, what would you choose to eat? *

Please choose only one of the following:

Fresh fruit salad without syrup Porridge with light-blue (1.6% fat) milk Toast x2 with butter & jam Fried eggs x2 & bacon with toast x2 English muffin - scone filled with sausage, egg, bacon, cheddar cheese & tomato

chutney Pancakes x4 with butter & honey Cheesy omelette (2 eggs) with sausages x2 & toast x2 English breakfast - scrambled eggs x2, bacon, sausages x2, fried mushrooms,

grilled tomato & toast x2

Imagine that you are eating lunch in a restaurant with your friends. From the menu provided below, what would you choose to eat? *


Garden salad with vinaigrette dressing Greek salad: tomato, onion, cucumber, capsicum, olives, feta cheese, olive oil &

vinegar Toasted ham & cheese sandwich Tuna-melt sandwich: tuna, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, tomato, onion, lettuce &

cucumber, served in pita bread Chicken salad with pita bread chunks Grilled chicken sandwich (panini bread) with avocado Fish n chips Deluxe beef burger with cheese (2 patties & 2 slices of cheese) & chips Steak & chips with fried egg, tomato chutney, peas & fried mushrooms with cheese

sauce

Food Energy Information

Imagine that you are eating breakfast in a restaurant with your family. From the menu provided below, what would you choose to eat? *


Fresh fruit salad without syrup (1000 KJ or 240 cal) Porridge with light-blue (1.6% fat) milk (1200 KJ or 290 cal) Toast x2 with butter & jam (1100 KJ or 260 cal) Fried eggs x2 & bacon with toast x2 (2500 KJ or 600 cal) English muffin - scone filled with sausage, egg, bacon, cheddar cheese & tomato

chutney (2400 KJ or 570 cal) Pancakes x4 with butter & honey (2200 KJ or 520 cal) Cheesy omelette (2 eggs) with sausages x2 & toast x2 (3500 KJ or 830 cal) English breakfast - scrambled eggs x2, bacon, sausages x2, fried mushrooms,

grilled tomato & toast x2 (3800 KJ or 900 cal)

Imagine that you are eating lunch in a restaurant with your friends.


Garden salad with vinaigrette dressing (800 KJ or 190 cal) Greek salad: tomato, onion, cucumber, capsicum, olives, feta cheese, olive oil &

vinegar (1300 KJ or 310 cal) Toasted ham & cheese sandwich (1600 KJ or 380 cal) Tuna-melt sandwich: tuna, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, tomato, onion, lettuce &

cucumber, served in pita bread (2400 KJ or 570 cal) Chicken salad with pita bread chunks (2500 KJ or 600 cal) Grilled chicken sandwich (panini bread) with avocado (2700 KJ or 640 cal) Fish n chips (3600 KJ or 860 cal) Deluxe beef burger with cheese (2 patties & 2 slices of cheese) & chips (3800 KJ or

900 cal) Steak & chips with fried egg, tomato chutney, peas & fried mushrooms with cheese

sauce (3900 KJ or 930 cal)


(1) Hamburger (2) Cheeseburger (3) Double Cheeseburger (4) Bacon Burger (5) Chicken Burger (6) Fish Burger (7) Chicken Wrap (8) Vege Burger (9) Chicken Salad (10) Chicken Nuggets

No Nutritional Information



Nutritional Panel



Traffic Light System

rob mcneill, phd school of population health university of auckland new zealand

Documents

effect effect

nutritional information

extra information

calorie information

small effect

effect consumers

star system slide

multiple traffic light