Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
Background: Food labeling is a fundamental educational tool for advocating for public awareness. It emphasizes knowledge of the nutrient content of food and thus directs the choice towards the healthiest food products. This cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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F1000 Research Ltd
2022-05-01
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| Series: | F1000Research |
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| Online Access: | https://f1000research.com/articles/11-84/v2 |
| _version_ | 1811322517245132800 |
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| author | Maha Hoteit Marwa Ghader Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh Hala Mohsen Cecile Obeid Nour Yazbeck Heba Abdul Fattah |
| author_facet | Maha Hoteit Marwa Ghader Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh Hala Mohsen Cecile Obeid Nour Yazbeck Heba Abdul Fattah |
| author_sort | Maha Hoteit |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Food labeling is a fundamental educational tool for advocating for public awareness. It emphasizes knowledge of the nutrient content of food and thus directs the choice towards the healthiest food products. This cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding nutrition label use in Lebanon through a valid questionnaire. Methods: Overall, 768 participants (mean age: 30.8 ±12, males: 60.2%) were recruited randomly between February and May 2020. We used word of mouth and social media to recruit our sample population. Results: Social media was the most accessed tool to attain nutrition information by responders (39.8%). More than half the participants expressed positive attitudes to check information related to sugars (66.4%), vitamins (64.9%), total fats (61.7%), proteins (59.1%), and calories (58.7%) on the food label. Expiry date, price, and brand name were the top three considerations while reading food labels. About half (46.5%) reported to “always” look at the food label. Responders reported reading labels related primarily to sugars (44.3%), calories (38.8%), and total fats (36.8%). The optimal total KAP score was 46; our findings revealed a mean KAP score of 14.46 ±7 (31.4%). When categorizing the KAP scores, 15% had high scores, and 85% scored low. Spearman’s coefficients showed positive correlations between knowledge-attitude, knowledge-practice, and attitude-practice scores, with p<0.001. The regression analysis revealed that gender, age, BMI, residency area, educational level, university degree, health and diet statuses, and activity level were significant predictors of the KAP score. Being on a diet had the highest odds (OR=3.107, CI=1.904-5.072, p<0.001). Conclusion: The low awareness of food labels leads Lebanese people to choose unhealthy food options. A planned educational program is recommended to ease the interpretation of these labels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:36:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e24462fc613a4ff498e50201a7814839 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-1402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:36:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | F1000Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e24462fc613a4ff498e50201a78148392022-12-22T02:44:46ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022022-05-0111131276Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]Maha Hoteit0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7392-4835Marwa Ghader1Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7387-8277Hala Mohsen3Cecile Obeid4Nour Yazbeck5Heba Abdul Fattah6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0028-494XFaculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, 961, LebanonFaculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, 961, LebanonWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, World Health Organization, Cairo, 11371, EgyptFaculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, 961, LebanonFaculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Notre Dame University, Zouk Mosbeh, LebanonFaculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, 961, LebanonFaculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, 961, LebanonBackground: Food labeling is a fundamental educational tool for advocating for public awareness. It emphasizes knowledge of the nutrient content of food and thus directs the choice towards the healthiest food products. This cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding nutrition label use in Lebanon through a valid questionnaire. Methods: Overall, 768 participants (mean age: 30.8 ±12, males: 60.2%) were recruited randomly between February and May 2020. We used word of mouth and social media to recruit our sample population. Results: Social media was the most accessed tool to attain nutrition information by responders (39.8%). More than half the participants expressed positive attitudes to check information related to sugars (66.4%), vitamins (64.9%), total fats (61.7%), proteins (59.1%), and calories (58.7%) on the food label. Expiry date, price, and brand name were the top three considerations while reading food labels. About half (46.5%) reported to “always” look at the food label. Responders reported reading labels related primarily to sugars (44.3%), calories (38.8%), and total fats (36.8%). The optimal total KAP score was 46; our findings revealed a mean KAP score of 14.46 ±7 (31.4%). When categorizing the KAP scores, 15% had high scores, and 85% scored low. Spearman’s coefficients showed positive correlations between knowledge-attitude, knowledge-practice, and attitude-practice scores, with p<0.001. The regression analysis revealed that gender, age, BMI, residency area, educational level, university degree, health and diet statuses, and activity level were significant predictors of the KAP score. Being on a diet had the highest odds (OR=3.107, CI=1.904-5.072, p<0.001). Conclusion: The low awareness of food labels leads Lebanese people to choose unhealthy food options. A planned educational program is recommended to ease the interpretation of these labels.https://f1000research.com/articles/11-84/v2Food labels knowledge attitude practices Lebanoneng |
| spellingShingle | Maha Hoteit Marwa Ghader Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh Hala Mohsen Cecile Obeid Nour Yazbeck Heba Abdul Fattah Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] F1000Research Food labels knowledge attitude practices Lebanon eng |
| title | Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lebanese shoppers towards food labeling: The first steps in the Nutri-score roadmap [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | assessment of the knowledge attitudes and practices of lebanese shoppers towards food labeling the first steps in the nutri score roadmap version 2 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | Food labels knowledge attitude practices Lebanon eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/11-84/v2 |
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