UNDERSTANDING NUTRITION CLAIMS ON FOOD LABELS
Volume 78, Number 1 January/February 2007
Conclusion
The trend toward health and wellness is driving consumers to improve their diets and seek food products with nutrition and health benefits. Nutrition claims on food labels can increase consumers’ awareness of the health attributes of specific foods and help them choose healthier diets.
When it comes to the different types of nutrition claims (i.e., health claims, structure/function claims, dietary guidance), there is little evidence that consumers are aware of differences in the strength of scientific evidence supporting the various types of nutrition label claims (10). According to consumer research conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation, consumers were just as likely to purchase a food with a structure/function claim as one with an unqualified health claim or dietary guidance statement (10). This finding led the researchers to call for further research to identify terminology or language that would best communicate the strength of scientific evidence associated with diet-disease relationships and their respective label claims (10).
Nevertheless, given consumers’ expressed need for more nutrition and health information, food manufacturers, including manufacturers of dairy products, should consider using existing regulations to communicate the health and nutrition benefits of their products.
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