Nutrition Portion Size Packaging Process Book
PROCESS
III
Nutrition Portion Size Packaging
GR600 Visual Communications Lab, Fall 2014 MFA in Graphic Design, Academy of Art University Professor Phil Hamlett Final Process Book Alberto J. Carvajal | 03851892 | ajcarvajalr@gmail.com
Food is not the problem, overeating is. Lacking of a basic notion of how much you should have, is.
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Table of Contents
00 Topic Search
Words & Pictures
What do you think?
Formulating questions
Finding connections
Audience & archetypes
Discussing my topic
Design compilation deck
Shaping the video proposal
Final video proposal
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Topic Research
01 During the first part of the topic research my approach was to focus on issues than were tangible, easy to understand and could have a potential for design opportunities. Based on my previous experience, I think that having an understanding of the intent of each lab of the course let me focus on what to propose as possible topics for research. For this lab, I proposed: Racial profiling in the USA, Supplement regulation and labeling, Plastic levels in the ocean, Harrasment equality, and Nutritional portion size packaging. For all of them I had a particular point of view and take on them. But at the end, I was glad to choose Nutritional portion size packaging as my topic due to my proffesional background and overall thoughts on the subject.
Racial Profiling in USA
Supplement Regulation & Labeling
The use of weight loss and muscle building dietary supplements have been medically linked to an increasing number of acute hepatitis and liver failure. Unlike drugs, dietary supplements do not have pre-market approval for safety or effectiveness, making them a potential toxicological hazzard for the public. These leaves consumers with limited knowledge and only trust that it is “Safe and natural” based on information fabricated by a marketing team. I intend to work on increasing the level of information and clarity available on dietary supplements.
According to the Oakland Police Department, African Americans are 3.3 times as likely to be searched during a traffic stop as whites. Recruiting, training and hiring homegrown Oakland residents as police officers is a strategy that has been used succesfully in the past to generate trust among the citizens. I want to investigate the different approaches and strategies for police phsycological training and stereotype judgement tools from a design point of view.
GR600— Visual Communications Lab
Lab Project 01
Alberto Carvajal—03851892
Plastic Levels in the Ocean
GR600— Visual Communications Lab
Lab Project 01
Alberto Carvajal—03851892
Harrasment Equality
The number of sexual harassment charges filed by men in the US increased from 16.1% to 17.8%. Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex. I want to analyse that blurry line of what is concidered a harassment behaviour from both sides and that atitudes involved.
According to data collected by scientists from US, France, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, there are more than 5 tons of “micro plastics”, plastic pieces measuring less than 5mm. The levels of tiny fibres found at depths below 300m are significantly higher (>100X) than the ones of the surface and the plastic molecules have found their way to the food chain via ingestion. I intend to to raise awareness on this issue and increase the levels of commitment to reduce our plastic footprint.
GR600— Visual Communications Lab
Lab Project 01
Alberto Carvajal—03851892
GR600— Visual Communications Lab
Lab Project 01
Alberto Carvajal—03851892
5 Nutritional Portion Size Packaging
Serving sizes described in the nutritional tables are often more than the product’s individual package. The lack of clarity in what a serving size should be and how it should be contained makes difficult for people to calculate and control what their eating, to control sugar, sodium, vitamin and mineral intakes. I want to investigate how to create a better solution for food and drug industry to facilitate this process.
GR600— Visual Communications Lab
Lab Project 01
Alberto Carvajal—03851892
TRUST
TRUST
TRUST
TRUST
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Words & pictures
02 For Lab two, the idea was to create a set of cards based on 5 words relevant to our selected topic. For each word we shot 10 images that best reflected the word concept. The selected words were Trust, Enough, Rational, Healthy and Label. I think that my major intent with this Lab was to create a sense of the words in th real world, where meaning was created and reflected, not being literal, but having food on top of mind always. Association was they center of them, how what I was shooting finally related or was tied up to my topic.
ENOUGH
ENOUGH
ENOUGH
ENOUGH
ENOUGH
9 RATIONAL
RATIONAL
RATIONAL
RATIONAL
LABEL
LABEL
LABEL
LABEL
11 HEALTHY
HEALTHY
HEALTHY
HEALTHY
HEALTHY
Overview
01 Serving sizes described in the nutrition tables are often more than the product’s individual package and it can vary in a same product according to the package distorting the rationality of what a portion size should be. There is a lack of clarity and unity of the information detailed by the package labels leads to an irrational food consumption. Its difficult for people to comprehend the components and benefits of each product. This lack of understanding makes very confusing the process of keeping track of what we eat and creates public health problems.
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Summary
02 The event was held on Friday. March 27th and it lasted about an hour and a half with the assistance of ten people. Being the topic so relatable to people, I opted for an open discussion to gather the most insights possible on what were the concerns and thoughts when it came to food, amounts, diets, labels and package sizes. As part of the event, I decided to conduct a silent experiment where I provided small bowls for people to portion what they ate and observed their eating behavior. Also, gave them options between water and sodas in small sized cans. Also provided each participant with a guide for them to provide a short bio of them and answer a questionnaire that gave me more insights on each of them and also as a prelude of the upcoming discussion that we had afterwards.
Event Collaterals
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Invitation
“You don’t get fat only from eating sugars, portions, calories, fats, and the way you eat matters”
Event Collaterals
03 Schedule + Questionnaire
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Discussion Questions
Portion distortion is a problem, we judge the amount we eat by what we see; this differs in many cases from the described serving size of the label.
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Little Stories
04 Anuardi
Age: 26
I’m a graduate student which means I’m typically busy. Because of this, I tend to eat a lot outside which has changed a lot my diet.
Fin
Age: 27
I studied fashion design as an undergraduate and now I’m a graphic design student. I’m from Taiwan and in our culture we use a little bowl normally to eat, but we eat a lot.
Li Li
Age: 25
I was using diet control to lose weight. It worked out well, but I didn’t have any desire for food at that time. Now I feel like I’m back to the status of loving to cook again.
Hugo
Age: 28
Talking about food, I would say I try to watch what I eat. Sometimes at school I don’t eat much or healthy at all.
Alice
Age: 27
I’m from Shanghai and I came two years and a half ago to study web design. I like to eat a lot in restaurants, specially sushi and pasta.
Arturo
Age: 27
Former AAU Advertising student, has a very active lifestyle and eats balanced, mainly because of his health diet.
Little Stories
04 Adriana
Age: 24
I’m Puerto Rican, so I love to eat... big portions are sort of a given in our culture. I don’t that Puerto Ricans are much into healthy—or portion sizes.
Andrea
Age: 25
I am always hungry, and sometimes over eat because I’m unsure of portion size. I try to eat healthy overall but sometimes I’m not able to do so.
Raji
Age: 27
I’m a former Civil Engineer converted designer.
Amal
Age: 27
I am not a healthy eater, I just eat to survive. I do excercise every now and then but I do not know how to set an affordable easy diet.
Jayeeta
Age: 26
Former AAU Advertising student, has a very active lifestyle and eats balanced, mainly because of his health diet.
Alberto
Age: 41
I’m Colombian and we enjoy very much eating. Normally I eat what I want, infact I love and enjoy eating very much. I would describe my diet as balanced and overall healthy. W
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Quotes
05 “When I’m eating something, I’m judging by the eye. I didn’t know the portion size of it. Is it big enough for me?”
“How do you know what is enough for your body?”
“There are food issues wherever you look, sugar, fat, sodas, ingredients.”
“Its hard to control your calorie intake when you are cooking or preparing a meal, unless its comes boxed.”
“Healthy eating is related to economic status, your income determines the health level of your food.”
“Athletes eat healthy and consume a greater amount of calories. Different levels of activities.”
“When we read the products description, we assume the nature of the food without being aware of what it actually contains.”
“Hi end restaurants cook also unhealthy but delicious… It’s more about eating patternsI feel.”
“I just want to understand better in packages what all this thing means, if I don’t get it eventually i won’t care any more and just consume regardless of what they say…”
“I compare products to see which has less.”
Event Photos
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Insights
07 How does a calorie becomes a standard of measurement if it doesn’t takes into account body types, and metabolisms. Many people base their eating decisions in numbers and not in common sense. Healthy eating is related to economic status, your income determines the health level and food availability. Low income areas bring fast food home to feed their kids, they’ve been working, have no time or money, and fast food gives them more volume… not so healthy. No one really knows what healthy really is. Balance, way to difficult to navigate between ingredients, sugars, calories, amounts, etc… there is an abstract valued of how healthy you are going to eat, not attached to price. Consumer culture in America helps the food industry to increase the amounts you buy.
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Labels are meant to be complicated to confuse people so they forget about them. You really don’t understand that. You cannot even pronounce the ingredients. The problem is sugar in general in what we drink, not just sodas, juices too. Sugar is addictive. The types of sugar you consume should actually consume matter. Fructose is not metabolized the same way that lactose, and corn sugars (fructose) are subsidized, thats why they are cheap. The portion sizes have increased dramatically in the past two decades. People should educate themselves on how is actually a serving size determined and on appropiate portion sizes based in food labels.
Thesis Exploration
Designer Alberto Carvajal 415.503.7898 ajcarvajalr@hotmail.com Class GR600—Visual Communications Lab Spring 2015
GR600 Visual Communications Lab, Fall 2014 MFA in Graphic Design, Academy of Art University Professor Phil Hamlett Final Process Book Alberto J. Carvajal | 03851892 | ajcarvajalr@gmail.com