Serving size on nutrition labeling for processed foods sold in Brazil: Relationship to energy value

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to analyze serving sizes declared on food labels with respect to their conformity to Brazilian law, variability among similar foods, and relationship to energy values. Methods: Food label information from 24 groups of processed foods was collected in one supermarket in southern Brazil. Declared serving sizes were classified into five groups according to their level of compliance with those recommended by law: <70% and >130% inadequate and 70-99%, 100% and 101-130% adequate. Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied. Results: A total of 1,953 food products were analyzed, of which 72% reported serving sizes exactly equal to those recommended, and 14% fell within the acceptable 60% range established by law. Even though most foods complied with the law, there was a variation in declared serving sizes among similar foods, with the largest ranges observed for hamburger and meatballs (364 g). In addition, declared serving sizes were significantly and positively correlated to energy value in most food groups, revealing that smaller serving sizes may be used to report lower energy value. Conclusion: The 60% acceptable serving size range established by law may lead to a lack of serving size standardization and significant variability in declared energy values on labels. This can potentially make labels confusing when comparing similar products and thus affect food choices. It is necessary to revise Brazilian law so that serving sizes are standardized among similar foods in order to facilitate healthy food choices.

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Reference serving sizes for the Brazilian population: An analysis of processed food labels

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/1415-52732014000300007 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 329-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Nathalie Kliemann ◽

Marcela Boro Veiros ◽

David Alejandro González-Chica ◽

Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença

Keyword(s):

Energy Density ◽

Inverse Correlation ◽

Brazilian Population ◽

Nutrition Labeling ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Labels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Spearman Coefficient ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

OBJECTIVE: To compare serving sizes reported on processed food labels with reference serving sizes according to nutrition labeling legislation and the "Food Guide for the Brazilian Population". METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the labels of 2,072 processed foods in a supermarket of Florianópolis, Santa Caratina, Brazil. The foods were classified according to the Brazilian food labeling legislation. Central tendency and variability values were calculated for the serving sizes and energy values reported on the labels, as well as the ratio between the reported and reference energy value. The Spearman correlation test was performed between the reference serving size and the reference energy density, and also between the reference serving size and energy density of each study food. RESULTS: Nutrition labeling and the Food Guide presented reference servings with different sizes and energy values. The serving sizes reported on the labels did not follow either of the references and presented heterogeneous values, with a maximum range of 55-240 g among ready and semi-ready pre-prepared dishes. The reported energy values were between 0.1 times smaller and 2.4 times larger than the reference values. The reference serving sizes presented a highly inverse correlation with the reference energy density (Spearman coefficient= 0.9) and a very low inverse correlation with the energy density of the foods analyzed (Spearman coefficient= 0.2). CONCLUSION: This study showed the need for standardizing reference serving size information for the Brazilian population as well as reviewing nutrition labeling legislation in order to standardize the serving sizes reported on labels and to update the reference energy density used to calculate serving sizes.

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Sodium content on processed foods for snacks

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980015001718 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 967-975 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Mariana Vieira dos Santos Kraemer ◽

Renata Carvalho de Oliveira ◽

David Alejandro Gonzalez-Chica ◽

Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sodium Content ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Labels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the Na content reported on the labels of processed foods sold in Brazil that are usually consumed as snacks by children and adolescents.DesignCross-sectional study that assessed Na content and serving size reporting on processed food labels.SettingA supermarket that is part of a large chain in Brazil.SubjectsAll foods available for sale at the study’s location and reported in the literature as snacks present in the diets of Brazilian children and adolescents.ResultsOf the 2945 processed foods, 87 % complied with the reference serving sizes, although variability in reporting was observed in most of the food subgroups. In addition, 21 % of the processed foods had high Na levels (>600 mg/100 g) and 35 % had medium Na levels (>120 and ≤600 mg/100 g). The meats, oils, fats and seeds groups as well as the prepared dishes had higher percentages of foods classified as high Na (81 %, 58 % and 53 %, respectively).ConclusionsMost of the processed foods had high or medium Na content. We emphasize the importance of revising Brazilian nutrition labelling legislation to standardize reference serving sizes to avoid variation. Besides, we point out the potential for reducing Na levels in most processed foods, as evidenced by the variability in Na content within subgroups. Finally, we have identified the need to develop a method to classify Na levels in processed foods with specific parameters for children and adolescents.

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Serving Size and Nutrition Labelling: Implications for Nutrition Information and Nutrition Claims on Packaged Foods

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10070891 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 891 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Nathalie Kliemann ◽

Mariana Kraemer ◽

Tailane Scapin ◽

Vanessa Rodrigues ◽

Ana Fernandes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Choices ◽

Nutrition Information ◽

Food Labelling ◽

Food Labels ◽

Nutritional Values ◽

Nutrition Claims ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

The presentation of nutrition information on a serving size basis is a strategy that has been adopted by several countries to promote healthy eating. Variation in serving size, however, can alter the nutritional values reported on food labels and compromise the food choices made by the population. This narrative review aimed to discuss (1) current nutrition labelling legislation regarding serving size and (2) the implications of declared serving size for nutrition information available on packaged foods. Most countries with mandatory food labelling require that serving size be presented on food labels, but variation in this information is generally allowed. Studies have reported a lack of standardisation among serving sizes of similar products which may compromise the usability of nutrition information. Moreover, studies indicate that food companies may be varying serving sizes as a marketing strategy to stimulate sales by reporting lower values of certain nutrients or lower energy values on nutrition information labels. There is a need to define the best format for presenting serving size on food labels in order to provide clear and easily comprehensible nutrition information to the consumer.

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The effect of education level on the food label reading habitsEğitim düzeyinin besin etiketi okuma alışkanlıkları üzerine etkisi

Journal of Human Sciences ◽

10.14687/jhs.v15i1.4840 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 486

Author(s):

Fatma Çoşkun ◽

Serap Kayışoğlu

Keyword(s):

Educational Level ◽

Health Problems ◽

English Summary ◽

Food Labels ◽

Food Label ◽

Reading Habits ◽

Nutritional Label ◽

Label Information ◽

Research Findings ◽

Number Of Citations

Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of educational level on the habit of reading food labels. Method: 406 consumers aged 18 and over living in Suleymanpaşa district of Tekirdağ province created samples of research. Findings: According to results of the research; as the level of education increases, the percentage of those who understand the information on the label and argue that the label is very important have increased (from 41.7% to 72.7% and from 10.3% to 59.1%, respectively). With the increase in educational level, the percentage of learners who interpreted label information from the television decreased (from 54.1% to 0%), the proportion of educators, doctors and dietitians increased (from 6.9% to 45.5% and from 0% to 18.2%, respectively). From the information on the label; Colorants, additives, artificial sweeteners, sugar and cholesterol are the most harmful. The information that consumers are most interested in on the label are statements relating to health problems the number of citations, vitamins, salt, sodium ratio and cholesterol amount, rerpectively. Generally, 72.2% of those surveyed stated that health problems were the factor in reading the nutritional label. Conclusion: It is necessary to simplify food labels and educate consumers about label information.Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. ÖzetAmaç: Araştırmanın amacı eğitim düzeyinin besin etiketi okuma alışkanlığı üzerine etkisini araştırmaktır. Metod: Tekirdağ ili Süleymanpaşa ilçesinde yaşayan 18 yaş ve üzeri 406 tüketici araştırmanın örneklemini oluşturmuştur. Bulgular: Araştırma sonuçlarına göre eğitim seviyesi yükseldikçe etiketteki bilgileri anlayanların ve etiketin çok önemli olduğunu savunanların oranı artmıştır (sırasıyla %41,7’den %72,7’ye ve %10,3’ten %59,1’e). Eğitim seviyesinin yükselmesi ile birlikte etiket bilgilerini yorumlamayı televizyondan öğrenenlerin oranı azalmış (%54,1’den %0’a), eğitim kuruluşu, doktor ve diyetisyenden öğrenenlerin oranı artmıştır (sırasıyla %6,9’dan %45,5’e ve %0’dan %18,2’ye). Etiket üzerinde yer alan bilgilerden; renklendiriciler, katkı maddeleri, yapay tatlandırıcılar, şeker ve kolesterol en zararlı olarak görülenlerdir. Etiket üzerinde tüketicilerin en fazla dikkat ettikleri bilgiler sırayla, sağlık problemleri ile ilişkili olduğunu bildiren cümleler, içerdiği vitaminler, tuz, sodyum oranı ve kolesterol miktarıdır. Genel olarak araştırmaya katılanların %72,2’si sağlık sorunlarının besin etiketini okumada etken olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Sonuç: Gıda etiketlerini basitleştirmek ve tüketicileri etiket bilgileri konusunda eğitmek gerekmektedir.

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Use of nutritional food labels and consumers’ confidence in label information

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/1678-9865202033e190199 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

Author(s):

Lisane Moreno Lorena de SOUSA ◽

Lize STANGARLIN-FIORI ◽

Esther Heyde Selke COSTA ◽

Fernanda FURTADO ◽

Caroline Opolski MEDEIROS

Keyword(s):

Public Institution ◽

Nutrition Labeling ◽

Food Labels ◽

Chi Square ◽

Significance Level ◽

Exact Test ◽

Nutritional Information ◽

Frequent Use ◽

Label Information ◽

Chi Square Test

ABSTRACT Objective This investigation evaluated the use of food labels and consumers’ perception of the reliability of food labels nutritional information. Methods This is a transversal exploratory quantitative investigation, carried out in Curitiba, Brazil. A total of 536 students from a public institution participated in the survey answering a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses, Chi-Square test and Fisher’s exact test were performed considering a significance level of 5%. Results The participants’ mean age was 21.11±2.83 years, and 59.3% were female. It was noticed that 41.6% of consumers used the nutritional information sometimes and 14.7% always, mainly because they liked to know what they were buying and consuming (35.8%). Lack of patience (29.5%) and concern about the composition of the food purchased (34.2%) were the main reasons for not using the information provided. The most commonly used nutrition claim was “trans fat-free” (42.5%) and the type of food in which nutrition labeling was used most was milk and dairy products (42.0%). Frequent use of nutritional information was higher among women (p<0.01) and among those who practice physical activity (p=0.04). Many individuals relied on food labels nutritional information (61.9%), but out of these, 43.6% did not use that information at the time of purchase. There was no difference between respondents’ confidence in the information, sociodemographic and health data. Conclusion Many people still do not use the label nutrition information. Efforts should be made to change this scenario. Changes in nutrition labeling can help modify this situation, with the use of clearer label information, more easily understood, that does not raise any doubts in the consumers’ mind.

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Food Based Dietary Guidance - Weighing up the recommendations

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120003456 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Michael Dolan ◽

Sali Abouhajar ◽

Damian O'Kelly ◽

Elizabeth O'Sullivan ◽

Aileen Kennedy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Food Group ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Food Groups ◽

Automatic Assessment ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Adequate Diet ◽

Group A ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

AbstractFood Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) are dietary recommendations described in terms of amounts of foods that should be consumed. They are designed to support healthy eating through simple messaging and indicate how to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet. However, assessing compliance with FBDG targets can be difficult. The quantity of food either being consumed or prescribed and the amount of that food that constitutes a serving are needed to calculate the contribution of the food towards a food group target. The aim of this study was to define the serving weight of foods, guided by definitions from Irish FBDG, to the McCance and Widdowson Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset 2015 (CoFID). This will enable the automatic assessment of compliance to FBDG using Nutritics nutrition analysis software. Foods from CoFID were categorised into six food groups as defined by Ireland's FBDG. Quantified servings from the Irish FBDG were matched to foods. Calculation criteria were developed to establish a serving size for remaining foods within each food group. For fats and oils, as well as raw fruits and vegetables, household measurements were converted to grams, using Food Portion Sizes from the Food Standards Agency. Quantities for cooked fruits and vegetables were calculated using weight-change factors published by Bognar. For the breads, cereals and potatoes group a serving size was calculated using the midpoint for the calorie bands in this group, as defined by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. For the dairy group, a serving size was determined by calculating the quantity needed to provide 250 mg of calcium. This was in line with achieving the total daily recommended amount of calcium from the dairy group from 3 servings. For meat, fish and alternatives (MFA), serving sizes were developed using the recommended amount of protein per body weight reference value for males and females. For foods high in fat, sugar and salt, serving sizes were defined using 100kcal as the recommended amount of energy provided for snacks. Out of 3,291 foods, 1,980 were grouped into 6 food groups. Quantified servings were available for 694 foods in 3 food groups. Calculated serving sizes were developed for the remaining 1,276 foods. The quantity of each food that constitutes a serving will be integrated into Nutritics to automatically assess compliance to FBDG. This will enable Health Care and Food Industry Professionals to deliver informed advice on meeting population health targets.

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The Brazilian population consumes larger serving sizes than those informed on labels

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-11-2013-0339 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 117 (2) ◽

pp. 719-730 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mariana Vieira dos Santos Kraemer ◽

Priscila Pereira Machado ◽

Nathalie Kliemann ◽

David Alejandro González Chica ◽

Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença

Keyword(s):

Food Products ◽

Brazilian Population ◽

National Database ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Groups ◽

Trans Fat ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Content Type ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to relate average serving size intake by the Brazilian population and declared serving size, the presence of trans fat and household measure fractioning declared on labels of processed, and ultra-processed food products. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-sectional study that analyzed the food labelling of all processed and ultra-processed food products sold in a supermarket in southern Brazil. Findings – A total of 1,071 processed and ultra-processed food products were analyzed. In 88 per cent of food groups, the average serving size consumed was larger than what was declared on labels. Consumed serving size was up to 9.2 times larger than the declared ones in food products with trans fat among their ingredients list and in false negatives and up to 9.9 times larger in foods with fractioned household measure (p<0.001). The Brazilian population consumes, on average, larger serving sizes than those declared on labels, which may represent a significant intake of trans fats without the consumers’ noticing. Originality/value – This study has been performed with the use of a national database on food consumption, as well as the information from a large number of processed and ultra-processed food labels marketed in Brazil. This study is also proven to be important and novel, contributing with information as to the manner in which nutrition labelling has been presented to Brazilian consumers, discussing its possible consequences for food choices, intake, and the guarantee of consumer rights.

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Determinants of Israeli consumers’ decision to use food label information more frequently: a national survey study

Israel Journal of Health Policy Research ◽

10.1186/s13584-021-00462-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shosh Shahrabani

Keyword(s):

Adult Population ◽

Public Information ◽

Food Product ◽

Food Labeling ◽

Survey Study ◽

Food Labels ◽

Food Label ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Saturated Fats ◽

Label Information

Abstract Background Food labeling to encourage healthier food choices may have positive long-term effects. Yet previous studies point to challenges in terms of how consumers understand and use labeling information. The current study seeks to determine how psychological factors related to health and nutrition, food label perceptions, nutrition habits and sociodemographic factors are associated with consumers’ decisions to seek and use the information on nutrition food labels more frequently. Methods The survey was conducted by a polling company in Israel between November 11 and December 12, 2019. Participants comprised a representative sample of the adult population in Israel age 21 and over. A total of 513 people returned the completed questionnaires, which included the following parts: personal details; frequency of searching for information on food product labels; perceived health risks of foods high in sodium, sugar and saturated fats; Health Belief Model constructs related to food labeling. The statistical analysis entailed ordinal logistics regressions. Results While 59.3% of the sample reported that the information on food labels often or always affects their decision to purchase a food product, more than 20% reported often or always consuming products that are high in sugar (32.0%), saturated fats (31.3%) and salt (20.4%). The results of the analytical model show the following HBM variables to be significantly associated with frequency of using information on food labels: higher levels of perceived benefit (OR = 1.72, CI 95% = 1.12–2.64); higher confidence in reading and understanding food labels (OR = 2.48, CI 95% = 1.62–3.78); and higher perceptions of the importance of nutrition (OR = 2.76, CI 95% =1.97–3.87). In addition, women and married people were found to use food label information more frequently. Conclusions General public information campaigns and HMOs campaigns with messages to motivate the use of food labels should emphasize the benefits of using labels to select food products. These messages should aim at increasing individuals’ perceived confidence in understanding the information on nutrition labels. The recent front-of-package labeling reform could be an important policy step for achieving healthier nutrition.

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Comparison of consumed portion sizes and serving sizes in UK energy dense snack foods

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120002694 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Holly Rippin ◽

Jayne Hutchinson ◽

Jo Jewell ◽

Joao Breda ◽

Janet Cade

Keyword(s):

Portion Size ◽

Food Groups ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Pack Size ◽

Snack Foods ◽

Size Information ◽

Main Food ◽

Portion Sizes ◽

Serving Sizes ◽

Serving Size

AbstractObesity is a major health problem facing the European population; over two thirds (67%) of UK adult men and 58% women are overweight or obese (1). The positive association between on-pack serving-size and food intake is known as the ‘portion size effect’. However, although direct links with obesity remain unproven, evidence suggests that limiting consumed portion size contributes to reduced energy intake and therefore reduced weight gain (2). UK portion size guidance is outdated and evidence suggests that on-pack serving-sizes have increased in some energy-dense foods (3). This study explores consumed portion sizes and on-pack serving-sizes in popular energy, fat and sugar-dense foods.The UK National Diet & Nutrition Survey 2008–2014 (n = 2377) dataset was used to identify commonly consumed energy, fat and sugar-dense foods. Data was analysed for adults aged 19–64y (excluding under-reporters) for consumed portion sizes, and a commercial product database of major UK retailer and manufacturer data provided serving-sizes. Commonly consumed energy, fat and sugar-dense food groups were split into 45 product-based subgroups. Means of consumed portion size and on-pack serving-size were calculated and compared and nutrition per 100 g and per serve was explored.Just 57% products had serving-size details, whereas 97% had pack-size information; Chocolate had the least products with serving-size information (35%). Lack of on-pack serving-size guidance is therefore a widespread issue, particularly in some energy-dense snack foods. Serving-size ranges were wide and varied across food groups. Consumed portion sizes were significantly higher than on-pack serving-size in all main food groups and most subgroups. The greatest difference between consumed portion size and on-pack serving-size was Crisps (44%), and within this, ‘popcorn’ (151%). There is a real need for policies aimed at setting product pack and serving-sizes that help individuals consume smaller portions. However, further consideration is needed on how consumers understand on-pack serving-size messaging, front-of-pack labelling and pack size.Serving-size was unavailable for many products. However, where available, consumed portion sizes were higher than on-pack serving-size in all main food groups and most subgroups. These results could inform updated portion size guidance of energy-dense foods. Further work is needed to clarify whether smaller serving and pack sizes would lead to lower total consumption and energy/nutrient intake.

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Consumers’ knowledge of food label information: an exploratory investigation in Potchefstroom, South Africa

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001200287x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 403-408 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Daleen van der Merwe ◽

Magdalena Bosman ◽

Suria Ellis ◽

Hanli de Beer ◽

Annchen Mielmann

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Reading Practices ◽

Food Labels ◽

Food Label ◽

Purchasing Decisions ◽

North West ◽

The North ◽

Set Inclusion ◽

Label Information

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the ability of consumers to: locate and manipulate food label information; assess the accuracy of nutrient content claims and which health/nutrient claims are allowed; and identify symbols on food labels. Associations pertaining to use and knowledge regarding food label information were also determined for consumers from different demographic and related groups.DesignAn exploratory descriptive study was undertaken, employing a face-to-face survey focusing on demographic information, shopping behaviour, nutrition is important beliefs, label use, label knowledge and label preference and information sources.SettingSelected public locations in Potchefstroom in the North West Province of South Africa.SubjectsRespondents (n 229) complying with set inclusion criteria were recruited through purposive sampling.ResultsThe results indicated respondents’ general health and label awareness, as most of them (>80 %) could locate label information and identify symbols and specific nutrient content claims although only 53 % were able to calculate the number of servings. Nevertheless, an inability was found to assess the accuracy of some nutrient content claims and permissible health/nutrient claims. More educated, younger, Afrikaans- and English-speaking respondents seemed to be more knowledgeable regarding food label information.ConclusionsRespondents who were informed about nutrition were also informed about label information, while label reading practices resulted in label-influenced purchasing decisions. Educational programmes on food labels should start with nutritional background that could be implemented by consumers during label reading and purchasing decisions.

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