NEW YORK - Consumers are reading the information on food nutrition labels, and most say this information affects what foods they buy, according to a new survey from the American Dietetics Association (ADA).
The ADA's 1997 Nutrition Trends Survey found that 69% of the 823 Americans polled by phone in June buy some foods less often and 65% buy some foods more often based on the label information.
"We know that health conscious Americans are most likely to make changes in food purchases based on labels," said Betty Nowlin, a Los Angeles-based nutrition education specialist in a statement released by the ADA.
The Chicago-based group says the impact of nutrition labels appears significant even though 1997 survey results reveal that 6% fewer Americans pay "very close" attention to labels compared with the results of a similar survey done two years ago (33% versus 27%).
In addition, the number of Americans that pay "little" or "no" attention to nutrition labels also has increased in two years, from 29% to 36%.
"For those Americans that haven't looked at labels lately, we hope they will do so to see how foods can fit into a healthful eating plan," says Nowlin, who is a registered dietitian with the Dairy Council of California in Culver City. "Adding foods because they are high in fiber or rich in calcium may expand your horizons and provide a health boost at the same time."
According to Nowlin, the decrease in nutrition label reading may be due to less public fanfare surrounding ADA "Nutrition Facts" panels, first introduced in 1993. She also says consumer familiarity with labels on foods may result in a decline in label reading.
Still, most Americans continue to read food labels, and, according to the ADA survey, more are aware of the Food Guide Pyramid than two years ago (67% versus 58%).
The pyramid, which frequently appears on food packaging, is a federal guide to daily food choices. It suggests the recommended number of servings of various food groups -- fats, oils, and sweets ("use sparingly"); milk, yogurt, and cheese (2-3 servings); meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts (2-3 servings); vegetables (3-5 servings); fruit (2-4 servings); and at the base of the pyramid, the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group (6-11 servings).
The obstacle to eating well most often cited by survey participants: 40% feared having to give up foods.
Nowlin says the survey results "encourage us to continue educating Americans to view the bigger nutrition picture -- an individual food won't make or break a good eating plan. We want people to think moderation, not elimination."
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