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The Relationship between Nutrition Knowledge and Nutrition Facts Table Use in China: A Structural Equation Model

Author

Listed:
  • Zeying Huang

    (Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Beixun Huang

    (Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Jiazhang Huang

    (Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China)

Abstract

Since 2013, China has implemented a nutrition label regulation that aims to provide essential nutrition information through nutrition facts tables labeled on the back of food packages. Yet, the relationship between people’s nutrition knowledge and their nutrition label use remains less clear. This study adopted the structural equation modeling approach to analyze a nationally representative survey of 1500 Chinese individuals through the cognitive processing model, interrelated nutrition knowledge, attention to nutrition information on the nutrition facts table, comprehension of nutrition information, food choice and dietary intake. It was found that nutrition knowledge positively influenced attention to nutrition information; a better comprehension of nutrition information, which could benefit healthier food choices, did not relate to a higher level of attention to that information; dietary intake was affected significantly by nutrition knowledge, but it had little impact on food choice. The results signify that nutrition knowledge hardly supports nutrition facts table use among the Chinese people, mainly due to incomprehensible labeled information. Therefore, it emphasizes the need to enhance people’s comprehension through front-of-package labels and corresponding smartphone applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeying Huang & Beixun Huang & Jiazhang Huang, 2021. "The Relationship between Nutrition Knowledge and Nutrition Facts Table Use in China: A Structural Equation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6307-:d:572691
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Wimalin Rimpeekool & Cathy Banwell & Sam-ang Seubsman & Martyn Kirk & Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan & Adrian Sleigh, 2016. "“I rarely read the label”: Factors that Influence Thai Consumer Responses to Nutrition Labels," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(1), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Andreas Drichoutis & Panagiotis Lazaridis & Rodolfo Nayga & Maria Kapsokefalou & George Chryssochoidis, 2008. "A theoretical and empirical investigation of nutritional label use," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 9(3), pages 293-304, August.
    4. Henry Kaiser, 1974. "An index of factorial simplicity," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 39(1), pages 31-36, March.
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