The Effects of Education and Information Source on Consumer Awareness of Diet–Disease Relationships

Abstract

Information about diet-disease relationships provided by the news media is associated with increases in consumer awareness of these relationships. However, consumer awareness levels have declined during time periods when nutrient information increasingly was provided in food advertising. People with higher (lower) education levels were more (less) aware of diet–disease relationships. In general, the authors do not find strong evidence that media- or firm-provided information decreases the difference in awareness between more and less educated persons.