Can Consumers Interpret Nutrition Information in the Presence of a Health Claim? A Laboratory Investigation

1996 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary T. Ford ◽  
Manoj Hastak ◽  
Anusree Mitra ◽  
Debra Jones Ringold
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Laboratory Investigation ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Health Claim ◽  
Consumer Beliefs ◽  
Independent Effects

The authors report the results of a laboratory experiment that investigates whether consumers can evaluate nutrition information in the presence of a health claim. Results show that both health claims and nutrition information influence beliefs about product healthfulness. However, health claims do not influence the processing of nutrition information on a food label. Rather, health claims and nutrition information have independent effects on consumer beliefs. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for the Food and Drug Administration policy on limiting health claims.

scholarly journals Global review of heart health claims for oat beta-glucan products

2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 78-97
Author(s):  
Rebecca Mathews ◽  
Alison Kamil ◽  
YiFang Chu
Keyword(s):  
Drug Administration ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Soluble Fiber ◽  
Beta Glucan ◽  
Oat Bran ◽  
The Us ◽  
Cereal Fiber ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death globally. Consumption of whole grains and cereal fiber, as part of a healthy diet, can lower the risk of CHD. Health claims on food products are effective in helping consumers select healthful diets. The US Food and Drug Administration was the first to approve a health claim, in 1997, between beta-glucan soluble fiber from whole oats, oat bran, and whole oat flour and reduced risk of CHD. Only a few countries have approved similar claims. Since 1997, a significant amount of additional evidence has been published on the relationship between oat beta-glucan and CHD. To assist other jurisdictions in potentially utilizing this claim, the full extent of data that supports this claim (ie, the evidence utilized by the US Food and Drug Administration to substantiate the claim, as well as the results of 49 clinical trials published since 1997) are reviewed here. The complexities involved in authoring evidence-based health claims, including the impact of processing on beta-glucan cholesterol-lowering efficacy in approving eligible beta-glucan products, are also discussed.

scholarly journals The use of Nutrition and Health Claims on Yoghurts on the Irish Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. O'Mahony ◽  
R.J. Creane ◽  
E. Philpott ◽  
C. B. O'Donavan ◽  
O.C. Lyons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Product Category ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Health Claim ◽  
Nutrition And Health ◽  
Nutrition Label ◽  
Food Category ◽  
Commission Regulation ◽  
Probiotic Strains ◽  
Nutrition And Health Claims

AbstractThe use of nutrition and health claims on food is legislated for in Commission Regulation 1924/2006 and SI No. 11 of 2014. This legislation ensures that any claim made on a food label is clear, accurate and substantiated, enabling consumers to make informed choices. A study undertaken by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in 2009 found that yoghurts were the food category with the highest use of nutrition and health claims on the Irish market.In 2018, the FSAI undertook a nutrition label verification study to verify the accuracy of declared nutrition information on yoghurts. The aims of this study were to measure the use of nutrition and health claims on a sample of yoghurts available on the Irish market in 2018 and assess their compliance with Regulation 1924/2006 Nutrition and Health Claims made on Food.Yoghurts identified in a 2016 market scan (n578) were weighted based on categorisation of manufacturer type (branded, own brand), product category (natural, flavoured and luxury) and declared nutrition content. Samples (n200) were randomly selected from these weighted groups for the 2018 nutrition label verification study. A subsample (n100) was randomly sampled and checked for presence of nutrition and health claims. Presence of nutrition and health claims was recorded in Microsoft Excel and checked for compliance with Regulation 1924/2006.Of the yoghurts reviewed, 67% (n67) made at least one nutrition claim and 34% (n34) made at least one health claim. Of these, 29% (n29) made a nutrition and a health claim. Branded yoghurts were more likely to make nutrition and health claims than own brand yoghurts (78% (n49) vs. 48% (n18)). Of yoghurts with a health claim, 88% (n30) were branded and 12% (n4) were own brand. Of yoghurts with a nutrition claim, 1.5% (n1) made a nutrition claim which was potentially non-compliant with Regulation 1924/2006. Of yoghurts with a health claim, 74% (n23) made a health claim which was potentially non-compliant with Regulation 1924/2006. The majority of potentially non-compliant health claims were in relation to probiotic strains and ‘live cultures’.In conclusion, yoghurts continue to be a food category which often uses nutrition and health claims. Nutrition and health claims are more frequently used by branded than own brand products. Potentially non-compliant health claims are an issue amongst this food category which will be further investigated and followed up.

scholarly journals Heart Images on Food Labels: A Health Claim or Not?

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 643
Author(s):  
Krista Miklavec ◽  
Maša Hribar ◽  
Anita Kušar ◽  
Igor Pravst
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Health Claim ◽  
Health Related

Health claims on food labels are used by food manufacturers to inform consumers about the health effects of a product, and such claims can have notable effects on consumer preferences. According to regulatory definitions, health claims can be either worded or presented as images, but it is not clear under which conditions an image on a food label should be considered a health claim. This question has important practical implications, as the use of health claims is strictly regulated. The objective of this study was to determine how commonly images of the heart are used on food labels, and to investigate consumers’ perceptions of products labelled with heart images, using different degrees of health relationships. Both a food supply study (N = 10,573 foods) and experiments with consumers (N = 1000) were performed in Slovenia. The use of heart imagery on food products was very common (9%). The consumer study was conducted using a web panel. Structure of the study population was comparable with Slovenian adult population (18–65 years), according to gender and age. The questionnaire was split into conjoint analysis with constructed elements, a choice-based task with real-life elements and a consumers’ association task. The experiments showed that a heart image as part of the brand name itself—without an additional (worded) health claim—did not cause most consumers to relate it to health. However, consumers tended to strongly relate an image of the heart as part of a brand with health benefits, where the image was accompanied by a worded health claim or if the heart image was designed specifically to imply health benefits. We can conclude that the use of heart images was very common on food products, but references to health were less common. Without a health-related context, heart images could not be considered as a health claim.

Highlights on the Labels of Packaged Foods Sold in Jordanian Market from A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 770-782
Author(s):  
Narmeen J. Al-Awwad ◽  
Hiba F. Al-Sayyed ◽  
Hamzah Safi ◽  
Salma M. Al-Bosta ◽  
Summer Al-Zawawi
Keyword(s):  
Drug Administration ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Trans Fat ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Added Sugars ◽  
Packaged Foods

Jordan has adapted a strategy to prevent chronic diseases. Accordingly, Ministry of Health is looking for controlling food labeling particularly food fat, trans-fat, and caloric content. This study aimed to screen the food label of products that are sold in Jordanian market in terms of serving size, energy, macronutrient, fiber, total and added sugars, saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and micronutrient contents. A cross-sectional study was performed to screen the food label for the food products based on the standards of The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations of 2016 and Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA). Generally, food labels were not clear. The screened products were compliant with JFDA standards and not in compliance with some FDA standards. In addition, many products were found to be sources of added sugars, Na, and saturated fats. Stakeholders and legislators are called to focus on developing new laws, regulations, and polices for developing food label. Food manufacturers are needed to work hardly on developing informative, clear, easy-to-understand, and attractive food labels. The legislators of food label policies are called to look for ways to indicate the presence of high amounts of dietary risk factors such as sugars, added sugars, Na, saturated, and trans fats in packaged foods.

scholarly journals Orthodox and Unorthodox Uses of Electronic Cigarettes: A Surveillance of YouTube Video Content

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 1378-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mignonne C Guy ◽  
Jacob Helt ◽  
Sherilyn Palafox ◽  
Kellie Green ◽  
Eric K Soule ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
Production Quality ◽  
General Information ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Health Study ◽  
The Us

Abstract Introduction Open electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) systems are customizable by consumers and often allow for potential “unorthodox” use of the product; that is, use not as intended by the manufacturer. Little is known about the types and prevalence of unorthodox uses and how these practices are transmitted via popular social media. Methods Monthly searches of YouTube were conducted from June through November 2016 using the following search terms: “e-cigarettes,” “vaping,” and “e-juice.” After collecting static and dynamic data on the 150 videos identified, two coders independently coded videos for general information, unorthodox use behaviors, health claims, and production quality and characteristics for orthodox and unorthodox use. Intercoder reliability was high (Cohen’s κ 0.81, p < .001). Results One hundred fifty videos were included in the study with a total of 115 551 563 views. We identified nine categories of unorthodox uses of e-cigarettes. Unorthodox use was three times as prevalent as orthodox use. Seventy-seven percent of the unorthodox use videos included recreational e-cigarette use, 57% included modification of mechanical parts and components, and 44.6% included unorthodox substance application (dripping). There were more than twice as many social media links in videos depicting unorthodox compared to orthodox use, but the level of engagement was lower for unorthodox use. Conclusions E-cigarette unorthodox use on YouTube is more prevalent than orthodox use, suggesting the need to further investigate the prevalence of unorthodox use among e-cigarette users and the influence of social media on consumer uptake of unorthodox and orthodox uses of e-cigarettes. Implications The US Food and Drug Administration has regulatory authority over e-cigarettes, parts and components. Many e-cigarettes currently marketed are open systems. Closed systems may allow less manipulation and may influence the safety of these products. This study provides valuable information on ways that open system e-cigarettes are used and it can inform safety tests that can be conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration to determine whether or not these products should remain on the market. In addition, our definitions of unorthodox use can be incorporated into the Population Assessment of Tobacco on Health Study to better understand the prevalence of these behaviors.

Drugs or Dietary Supplements: FDA's Enforcement of DSHEA

1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlys J. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Supplements ◽  
Dietary Supplement ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Food And Drug Administration ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Education Act ◽  
Definition Of

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act broadened the definition of a dietary supplement and loosened the restrictions for health claims on supplement labeling. The Act has left an unclear boundary between supplements and drugs. In this article, the author examines the legal debate surrounding the definition and regulation of drugs and supplements. The author also discusses recent Food and Drug Administration enforcement activities and court challenges.

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