Food nutrition label use is associated with demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors and dietary intake among African Americans in North Carolina.
OBJECTIVE
Reading nutrition labels on food packages may improve food choices and enable healthful dietary practices. This report describes the prevalence of nutrition label use and its association with demographic, behavioral, and psychological factors and diet among African-American adults.


METHODS
Self-reported data from a population-based cross-sectional survey of 658 African Americans, aged 20 to 70 years, in North Carolina. An 11-page questionnaire assessed nutrition label use, fruit and vegetable consumption, total and saturated fat intakes, fat-related dietary behaviors, diet-related psychosocial factors, and demographic and behavioral characteristics.


METHODS
Chi2 tests and logistic regression analyses examined associations of demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors with nutrition label use. Linear regression was used to estimate the variation in diet explained by label use.


RESULTS
The mean age of participants was 43.9+/-11.6 years, 41% were men, 37% were college graduates, and 75% were overweight/obese. Seventy-eight percent of respondents read nutrition labels when they purchased packaged foods. Nutrition label use was significantly higher among participants who were women, older, educated beyond high school, and obese (P <.05). After adjusting for demographic characteristics, the strongest psychosocial predictors of nutrition label use were healthful eating self-efficacy, strong belief in a diet-cancer relationship, and trying to lose weight. Usual/often label users had higher fruit and vegetable consumption and lower fat intakes (P <.001), and nutrition labels explained 2% to 17% of the variance in dietary intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Nutrition information on packaged foods appears to be a useful way to conduct point-of-purchase nutrition education among African Americans in North Carolina. Most respondents used food labels at least sometimes, but only about half usually or often did so. Efforts should be made to determine how all consumers could use nutrition labels effectively.
Satia
Jessie A
JA
Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA. jessie.satia@amgen.com
Galanko
Joseph A
JA
Neuhouser
Marian L
ML
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
D004041:Dietary Fats