title: Who is missing the message? Targeting strategies to increase food label use among US adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the associations between sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics and food label (FL) use in US adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey were used. High socio-economic status (SES) was defined as >high school education and poverty-income ratio (PIR) >350 %, low SES as <high school level or PIR <130 %. Dietary intakes were assessed using 24 h recalls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Metropolitan statistical area-central city, -suburban, and rural areas in the USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  US adults (n 2797; 1460 men, 1337 women) aged 20-64 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 80 % of Americans reported using FL, including checking the nutrition panel, list of ingredients, short phrases, serving size, or health benefits. Only 26 % used all FL information. Compared with white women of higher SES, white men, black men and women with lower SES were 77-90 % less likely to use FL. Rural residents were 40 % less likely (OR = 0.60; 95 % CI 0.42, 0.86). Participants with good nutrition knowledge, perceptions and beliefs were twice as likely to check FL for nutrient content of foods (OR = 2.28; 95 % CI 1.53-3.40). Those who were unaware of diet-disease relationships were less likely to use FL (OR = 0.53; 95 % CI 0.32-0.85). Among overweight/obese Americans (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), those who perceived their weight 'about right' were 51 % less likely to use FL than those perceiving themselves as overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men, especially black men, women of low SES, rural residents and overweight Americans with inaccurate self-perception of body weight are less likely to use FL and should be targeted for increased intervention.
authors: Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors: Xiaoli
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Jahns
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Gittelsohn
authors: Youfa
authors: Y
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003256:Community Participation; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult