Influence of nutrition labelling on food portion size consumption

• Published in: Appetite 2013-06, Vol.65, p.153-158
• Main Authors: McCann, Mary T., Wallace, Julie M.W., Robson, Paula J., Rennie, Kirsten L., McCaffrey, Tracy A., Welch, Robert W., Livingstone, M. Barbara E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Body Mass Index; Diet; Diet, Fat-Restricted; Dietary Fats; Energy Intake; Feeding Behavior; Female; food choices; food consumption; Food Labeling; foods; Health Behavior; Humans; lipids; Lunch; Male; Marketing; men; Middle Aged; nutrition information; nutrition labeling; Nutrition labelling; Obesity; Obesity - etiology; Overweight; Portion size; Sex Factors; Taste; women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.013

► We examine the influence of nutrition labelling on food and energy intake. ► Visual analogue scales determined appetite, satiety and sensory perceptions. ► Low fat/energy nutrition labels can positively influence food and energy intake. ► Manipulation of nutrition label information can influence sensory perceptions. Nutrition labelling is an important strategic approach for encouraging consumers to make healthier food choices. The availability of highly palatable foods labelled as ‘low fat or reduced calorie’ may encourage the over-consumption of these products. This study aimed to determine whether the manipulation of nutrition labelling information can influence food portion size consumption. Normal and overweight men (n=24) and women (n=23) were served an identical lunch meal on three separate days, but the information they received prior to consuming the lunch meal was manipulated as follows: “baseline”, “high fat/energy” and “low fat/energy”. Food and energy intake was significantly increased in the low fat/energy condition compared with both baseline and the high fat/energy condition. An additional 3% (162kJ) energy was consumed by subjects under the low fat/energy condition compared to baseline. No differences were observed between the baseline and high fat/energy condition. Subjects who consumed most in the low fat/energy condition were found to be mostly men, to have a higher BMI and to be overweight. Low fat/energy information can positively influence food and energy intake, suggesting that foods labelled as ‘low fat’ or ‘low calorie’ may be one factor promoting the consumption of large food portions.