Traffic-light labels could reduce population intakes of calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
Traffic-light labelling has been proposed as a public health intervention to improve the dietary intakes of consumers.


OBJECTIVE
to model the potential impact of avoiding foods with red traffic lights on the label on the energy, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and sugars intakes of Canadian adults.


METHODS
Canadian adults aged 19 and older (n = 19,915) who responded to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), Cycle 2.2. The nutrient levels in foods consumed by Canadians in CCHS were profiled using the United Kingdom's criteria for traffic light labelling. Whenever possible, foods assigned a red traffic light for one or more of the profiled nutrients were replaced with a similar food currently sold in Canada, with nutrient levels not assigned any red traffic lights. Average intakes of calories, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and sugars under the traffic light scenario were compared with actual intakes of calories and these nutrients (baseline) reported in CCHS.


RESULTS
Under the traffic light scenario, Canadian's intake of energy, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium were significantly reduced compared to baseline; sugars intakes were not significantly reduced. Calorie intake was reduced by 5%, total fat 13%, saturated fat 14%, and sodium 6%.


CONCLUSIONS
Governments and policy makers should consider the adoption of traffic light labelling as a population level intervention to improve dietary intakes and chronic disease risk.
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Teri E
TE
Emrich
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ying
Y
Qi
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wendy Y
WY
Lou
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Mary R
MR
L'Abbe
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003116:Color; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012982:Sodium, Dietary