Abstract P607: What Do Consumers See? Nutrients Listed on Packaged Foods and Beverages in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (e.g. type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease) are the leading cause of death globally and among adults in Ethiopia. Suboptimal diet (with high intake of sugar, salt, and saturated fat) is a major risk factor for such diseases and the consumption of processed foods rich in these nutrients is rising globally. Mandatory nutrition information on packaged foods, potentially with warning labels, can guide consumers and create healthier food environments. However, such information is lacking in many countries, including Ethiopia. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that the display of nutrition information (including sugar, sodium, and saturated fat) would be low on packaged foods and beverages in Ethiopia. Methods: A database of packaged foods was created in 2021 from an assessment across 18 markets within Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The analysis included 1388 products in four major food categories (cereals; snack foods; sweets; and beverages). Results: In total, 880 (63%) products displayed nutrient content information. This was most common among cereals (73%), and least common in snack food (43%) (Table 1). For specific nutrients, the display of sodium/salt (38%) was similar to sugar (35%) and saturated fat (34%). This discrepancy was highest in the beverages category. Conclusion: Nutrition labeling was incomplete in four major packaged food categories in Ethiopia. Fewer than half of snack foods displayed any nutrient content information, and while nearly three-fourths of cereals had some label, data on all three nutrients (sugar, sodium, and saturated fat) was missing on more than half of these products. Mandatory warning labels will allow consumers to assess the nutrient content of packaged foods and may encourage reformulation by industry to meet consumer demand and avoid placement of warning labels on their products.