title: Behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge of low-income consumers regarding nutrition labels.
abstract: This exploratory study interviewed 130 participants in federal food assistance programs and 51 low-income nonparticipants to assess their behaviors and attitudes toward and awareness of the nutrition label. Regarding label use, 35.4 percent of participants and 45.1 percent of nonparticipants seldom/never read labels while grocery shopping, 31.5 percent of participants and 19.6 percent of nonparticipants sometimes read them, and 33.1 percent of participants and 35.3 percent of nonparticipants always/frequently read labels in the grocery store. In addition, 38.5 percent of participants and 41.2 percent of nonparticipants seldom/never read labels at home, 33.1 percent of participants and 27.5 percent of nonparticipants sometimes read them, and 28.5 percent of participants and 31.4 percent of nonparticipants always/frequently read labels at home. There were no significant differences between mean scores of participants and nonparticipants on how to use the nutrition label. Findings challenge nutritionists working with low-income individuals to develop more learning opportunities that teach how to use nutrition labels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McArthur
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling; D005522:Food Services; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014707:Vermont