Awareness and Use of Nutrition Labels Among Adult Primary Healthcare Visitors in Taif, Saudi Arabia, in 2024: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study explores how adults in Taif, Saudi Arabia, use and understand nutrition labels on packaged foods.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into nutrition label awareness and use in Taif, highlighting demographic and health-related factors.

Findings

Higher education levels correlate with increased nutrition label observation.

Individuals on diets and those with family health histories are more label-aware.

Married individuals and those with larger families show greater label awareness.

Abstract

Background

Nutrition labels are very important for helping people, especially those with long-term illnesses, make smart food choices as people become more health-conscious. However, a lot of labels are confusing, which leads to poor health outcomes associated with diet. This study aimed to determine how Taif's adult population understood and used nutritional value labels on pre-packaged foods.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 across 18 primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) in Taif, Saudi Arabia, targeting a systematic random sample of adult residents (≥18 years) who attended the centers and provided consent. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding participants' sociodemographic characteristics, and food and nutrition label awareness and use.

Results

A total of 404 adults in Taif were surveyed for the study; their mean age was 33.2±12.4 years, and 53% of them were women and 96% were Saudi citizens. Postgraduate participants were far more likely than primary-educated participants to observe food labels on pre-packaged foods (76.5% versus 25%, p=0.002). Compared to those who were single or divorced, married people exhibited more label awareness (70.3% versus 61.2% versus 0%, p<0.001). Those with more than six family members were more likely to notice labels than those with fewer than three (76.3% versus 58.1%, p=0.002). People with a family history of illnesses were also more aware (76.2% versus 58.3%, p=0.001), as were people with normal or overweight self-reported body mass indices (BMIs) as opposed to underweight and obese people (66.9% and 65.8% versus 50%, p=0.037). Lastly, individuals who were following a particular diet paid much more attention to nutrition labels than those who were not (86% versus 55.3%, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Many adults who attended Taif's PHCCs were aware of food labels, particularly those with higher levels of education, normal body mass indices, or special dietary needs. The most often used nutritional information was sugars, fats, and sodium, and they regularly verified production and expiration dates.

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