Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the usefulness of nutrition labels in Thailand during nutrition transition from traditional to modern diets that increase salt, sugar, and calorie intake and to note socio-demographic interactions and associations with consumption of transitional processed foods.Design/methodology/approachThe authors studied 42,750 distance learning Open University adults aged 23-96 years in 2013 residing nationwide and participating in an ongoing community-based prospective cohort study. The authors used multivariable logistic regression to relate nutrition label experiences (“read”, “good understand”, “frequent use”), socio-demographic factors, and consumption of four transitional foods. These foods included “unhealthy” instant foods, carbonated soft drinks, and sweet drinks, or “healthy” milk.FindingsOverall, two-thirds reported good understanding and frequent use of nutrition labels. Unhealthy transition-indicator processed foods were frequently consumed: instant foods (7 per cent), (carbonated) soft drinks (15 per cent), and sweet drinks (41 per cent). Frequent users of nutrition labels (e.g. females, older persons, professionals) were less likely to consume unhealthy indicator foods. Those with the most positive overall nutrition label experience (“read” + “good understanding” + “frequent use”) had the best indicator food profiles: instant foods (odds ratio (OR) 0.63; 95%CI, 0.56-0.70); soft drinks (OR 0.56; 95%CI, 0.52-0.61); sweet drinks (OR 0.79; 95%CI, 0.74-0.85); milk (OR 1.87; 95%CI, 1.74-2.00).Originality/valueKnowledge protected – those with most nutrition label experience were least likely to consume unhealthy foods. Results support government regulated nutrition labels, expanding to include sweet drinks. The study is remarkable for its large size and nationwide footprint. Study subjects were educated, represent Thais of the future, and show high awareness of transition-indicator foods.
Highlights
Modernizing traditional societies have diets that are changing from low fat cerealbased agrarian foods to industrial processed foods, high in sodium and sugar (Kosulwat, 2002; Popkin, 1993)
This research on nutrition label experience is a sub-study within an overarching Thai cohort study (TCS) that has been described elsewhere (Seubsman et al, 2011, 2012; Sleigh et al, 2008)
The TCS eight year follow-up proceeded throughout 2013 gathering repeat data on many original socio-demographic, health and behaviour variables, and including new questions about nutrition labels
Summary
Modernizing traditional societies have diets that are changing from low fat cerealbased agrarian foods to industrial processed foods, high in sodium and sugar (Kosulwat, 2002; Popkin, 1993). This “nutrition transition” creates prominent risks for increasing burdens of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (Anderson, 2014; He and MacGregor, 2008; Karppanen and Mervaala, 2006; Lim et al, 2014; Popkin, 2015). It is important that health agencies monitor the impact of nutrition labels on food intake behaviour to provide evidence for strategies to promote healthy eating
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