Consumer Behaviors, Knowledge, and Perceptions Related to the Nutrition Facts Label: Findings From the 2019 FDA Food Safety and Nutrition Survey (FSANS)

Abstract

Objectives To get a better understanding of consumers’ use, understanding, and perceptions of the Nutrition Facts label and to provide information to facilitate effective consumer education and ultimately encourage healthier dietary choices. Methods The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fielded the 2019 FDA Food Safety and Nutrition Survey (FSANS) in the fall of 2019, sampling from U.S. adult consumers to collect data on consumers’ self-reported practices, knowledge and attitudes related to food safety, health, diet, and nutrition. The survey is nationally representative and a total of 2199 respondents completed the nutrition questions. Frequencies and ANOVAs were performed on the nine Nutrition Facts label-related questions on the survey. Results We find that 87% of U.S. adult consumers reported having looked at the Nutrition Facts label on food packages. Overall, the top three common uses of the label include: to see how high or low the food is in things like calories, salt, vitamins, or fat; to get a general idea of the nutritional content of the food; and to compare different food items with each other. The top four items consumers look for while looking at the label are calories, total sugars, sodium, and serving size. We also find that consumers’ use, knowledge, and perceptions of the Nutrition Facts label differ by variables such as age, gender, education, and body mass index (BMI). Conclusions Our findings provide important information for education and other messaging efforts related to the Nutrition Facts label. Additionally, this is the first FDA survey where consumers were shown an image of the new Nutrition Facts label; therefore, these findings can serve as a reference point for future data collections. Funding Sources The 2019 FSANS was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.