PARADOXICAL EFFECT OF A NUTRITION LABELLING SCHEME IN A STUDENT CAFETERIA

The study examined the influence of nutrition information on nutrient intakes at lunch in a college cafeteria, in relation to selected subject characteristics. Experimental subjects (EXP, n=65) ate all mid-day meals in a student cafeteria over two weeks with identical meal cycles. Information on the energy and fat content of food items was displayed in the cafeteria in week two. On completion of the study, subjects completed questionnaires on selected beliefs and attitudes, and eating restraint. The main outcome measures of the study were energy and macronutrient intakes of meals in week one vs. week two. Unexpectedly, EXP subjects had significantly increased total energy, grams fat, grams carbohydrate and decreased grams protein and % energy from protein in week two vs. week one. Subsequent analyses indicate that these results were largely due to changes in the eating behaviour of males and less restrained eaters. Provision of nutrition labels therefore did not have a positive effect on food choices and, for certain subgroups, it had a negative effect. These results point to the importance of assessing the motivational characteristics of a consumer population in the development of nutrition education programs.

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