title: Front of Pack Labels Enhance Attention to Nutrition Information in Novel & Commercial Brands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  1) To assess whether Front-of-Pack (FOP) nutrition labels garner attention more readily than more complete, mandated nutrition information (the Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP), required in the US), and 2) To determine whether label design characteristics, specifically, color coding and/or coding with facial icons, increase attention to the FOP label.
  
  
  METHODS
  In two experiments, we tracked the allocation of attention while participants (n=125) viewed novel and commercial packages with varied FOP designs using a change detection methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found empirical evidence that FOP labels are attended more often, and earlier, than the currently mandated NFP, and that this benefit is due both to its placement on the front of the package and to the design characteristics of the FOP. Specifically, the use of color in FOPs increased attention to the label, but there was no evidence that coding information via facial icons impacted attention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our work supports a growing body of evidence supporting the use of FOP labels to attract attention to nutritional information. Findings may be relevant to inform policy decisions on labeling standards.
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Kansas State University.
authors.forename: Nora M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University.
authors.forename: Raghav P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Sundar
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peltier
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bix
keywords: Attentive behaviors; FOP; Front of Pack Labels; Information Processing; Nutrition labels; Nutritional Labeling; Obesity