Š stock.adobe.com/au/Pavel Losevsky
How useful are nutrition labels in dining halls? ining halls at the University
regularly, ate breakfast and reported good
of Illinois voluntarily label
or excellent eating habits were more likely
food items with nutrition
to use nutrition labels."
information but are stu-
Ellison and her colleagues surveyed
dents using the informa-
2729 university students in four different
tion to make healthy food
dining halls. "It's an important population for
choices? A new study shows that students
nutrition studies because they're developing
who are already health conscious are the
lifelong habits," Ellison said.
primary users.
After students sat down with their trays
"Those who track their food intake by
of food, they were asked to participate in a
using an app or some other sort of food
written survey. About 45% of the students
diary are 6.6 times more likely to use the
surveyed said they saw the labels but only
information on the labels to make food
20% used the information on the labels
choices. This was the biggest predictor,"
to make food choices. The surveys were
said U of I food economist Brenna Ellison.
conducted during weeks four, eight and 12
"We also found that students who exercised
of a semester.
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PREPARED FOOD - August 2016 | 19