The Use of Nutritional Labels by College Students in a Food-Court Setting

Objective: Between January and September 2006, the authors examined when, why, if, and how nutrition labels impact food purchase decisions of college students. Participants: Participants were 16 college-aged students at a large northeastern university. Methods: As part of a larger study undertaken a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of American college health 2008-11, Vol.57 (3), p.297-302
Main Authors: Kolodinsky, Jane, Green, Jennifer, Michahelles, Marina, Harvey-Berino, Jean R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Body fat
college health
College Students
Colleges & universities
Control Groups
Data collection
Decision Making
Dietetics
Fast food
Female
Focus Groups
Food
Food Labeling - statistics & numerical data
Food service
Health Behavior
Health care
Health Education
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Labels
Male
Meals
Merchandise Information
Nutrition
Nutrition Instruction
Nutritive Value
Obesity
Purchasing
Qualitative Research
R&D
Research & development
Restaurants
Students - statistics & numerical data
Undergraduate Students
Universities - statistics & numerical data
Vitamin A
Young Adult
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Summary:Objective: Between January and September 2006, the authors examined when, why, if, and how nutrition labels impact food purchase decisions of college students. Participants: Participants were 16 college-aged students at a large northeastern university. Methods: As part of a larger study undertaken at a large northeastern university on the effect of nutrition labels in restaurant settings on food purchases, the authors held a focus group to look more deeply at when and why nutrition labeling impacted college student food purchases. Results: Although results of the large study are still being discerned, the focus group results reveal that college women and men were interested in the provision of nutrition labels in the food court-like setting found at the university, and that those exposed to labels over the course of the study noticed these labels and often referred to them when making purchase decisions. Additional findings reveal that price and convenience also play a role in food purchases and that, of those items listed on each label, calories and fat were most important to the study population. Conclusions: Although more research is needed, this qualitative study finds that students want nutrition labels and would use them to make food purchasing decisions.
ISSN:0744-8481
1940-3208
DOI:10.3200/JACH.57.3.297-302