Importance of nutrition labelling and claims on food among elderly people
2011
Hampshire, J., Fulda Univ. of Applied Sciences (Germany). Dept. of Nutritional, Food and Consumer Sciences | Freytag-Leyer, B., Fulda Univ. of Applied Sciences (Germany). Dept. of Nutritional, Food and Consumer Sciences
In spring 2009 a survey was conducted to examine whether the labelling of food is used by elderly people and promotes a deliberate choice of food. Using questionnaires the data of 69 elderly people have been collected in Fulda. Results show that nutrition information on food is (very) important to 86.9% of the target group. Problems utilising the nutrition information are mainly due to the small writing on food packages (75.9%) and also due to the fact that nutritional information is not being understood by elderly people (38.9%). Nutrition labelling, and also nutrition and health claims are classified predominantly as being important. Yet, there are also reservations towards nutrition and health claims. A significant part of the interviewees do not trust the information on the packaging or do not understand the connection between nutrition claims and their own health. Deficits appear along using nutrition information. Only 29.0% of the elderly people are able to calculate the amount of fat in a serving size and only 23.2% evaluate the content of sugar in food properly. Some basic aspects shall be improved to secure responsible decisions towards health by the elderly population: the legibility of the information on food, the trust in nutrition information, and the nutrition knowledge about nutrients.
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