Impact of food labelling systems on food choices and eating behaviours: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized studies

Food labels are considered a crucial component of strategies tackling unhealthy diets and obesity. This study aims at assessing the effectiveness of food labelling in increasing the selection of healthier products and in reducing calorie intake. In addition, this study compares the relative effectiv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Obesity reviews 2016-03, Vol.17 (3), p.201-210
Main Authors: Cecchini, M, Warin, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Calorie intake
Choice Behavior
confidence interval
Databases, Factual
diet
eating habits
Ecology, environment
Energy Intake
food choice
food choices
Food Labeling - methods
food labelling
Food Preferences
Food, Organic
foods
guidelines
Health
Health Behavior
Humans
Life Sciences
meta-analysis
nutrition labeling
Nutrition Policy
obesity
Obesity - prevention & control
people
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Santé publique et épidémiologie
systematic review
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Summary:Food labels are considered a crucial component of strategies tackling unhealthy diets and obesity. This study aims at assessing the effectiveness of food labelling in increasing the selection of healthier products and in reducing calorie intake. In addition, this study compares the relative effectiveness of traffic light schemes, Guideline Daily Amount and other food labelling schemes. A comprehensive set of databases were searched to identify randomized studies. Studies reporting homogeneous outcomes were pooled together and analysed through meta‐analyses. Publication bias was evaluated with a funnel plot. Food labelling would increase the amount of people selecting a healthier food product by about 17.95% (confidence interval: +11.24% to +24.66%). Food labelling would also decrease calorie intake/choice by about 3.59% (confidence interval: −8.90% to +1.72%), but results are not statistically significant. Traffic light schemes are marginally more effective in increasing the selection of healthier options. Other food labels and Guideline Daily Amount follow. The available evidence did not allow studying the effects of single labelling schemes on calorie intake/choice. Findings of this study suggest that nutrition labelling may be an effective approach to empowering consumers in choosing healthier products. Interpretive labels, as traffic light labels, may be more effective.
ISSN:1467-7881
1467-789X
DOI:10.1111/obr.12364