| dc.description.abstract | Background: Nutrition literacy is an important component of overall health. The Nutrition Literacy Instrument (NLit) is a validated tool for measuring nutrition literacy. One element of nutrition literacy is the ability to read nutrition fact panels (NFP). Consequently, 6 numeracy questions in the NLit test users on their ability to correctly read NFPs. The FDA has announced a new NFP design that will be required by 2018 for large manufacturers, while smaller companies will have an additional year to comply. Easier usability is one of the goals of the new NFP design. It was hypothesized that NLit scores on numeracy questions over the current NFP design would be significantly correlated with NLit scores on numeracy questions over the new NFP design. It was also hypothesized that NLit scores on numeracy questions on both the current and new NFP design would be significantly different. Finally, in response to emerging trends in food labeling, participant preferences for information included on food labels was collected in order to see what kind of information consumers look for on food labels. Methods: Surveys were administered during January, February, and March 2017 to attendees at financial literacy classes administered by a local ministry. A total of 50 participant surveys were collected, and 48 surveys were used. Surveys collected demographic information, financial literacy information, and nutrition literacy information. Nutrition literacy information was collected by asking participants 6 NLit numeracy questions over the current NFP and asking the same 6 NLit numeracy questions over the new NFP. Participants were also asked which label they preferred and why, how often they looked at nutrition labels while grocery shopping, and to indicate other kinds of information that they considered important for inclusion on food labels. Results: NLit numeracy question scores between the current NFP and the new NFP were significantly correlated (r=0.842, p<0.0001), indicating consistency. Cronbach’s alpha for the current NFP NLit numeracy scores and new NFP NLit numeracy scores was 0.733 and 0.815, respectively, indicating reliability of the instrument. Mean NLit numeracy question scores for the current NFP and the new NFP were 53.5% and 55.5%, respectively, and were not significantly different (p=0.437). Out of the 12 different options that were provided to participants to indicate what information they considered to be most important for inclusion on food labels, “serving size” and “sodium” received the most selections (26 each). Conclusions: Significantly correlated scores between NLit numeracy questions on the current NFP and on the new NFP and acceptable Cronbach’s alpha statistics (<0.7) are important in ensuring the continued validity and usability of the NLit as an instrument to measure nutrition literacy in the future, once the new food label design is mandatory in 2018. Similar scores between NLit numeracy questions on the current and new NFPs suggest that the new design may not be easier to read than the current design. Further research is warranted to continue assessing whether the new NFP design is effective in increasing usability. Finally, feedback on the kind of information consumers are interested in seeing on food labels, such as serving size and sodium content, is important for health professionals to know to better target education efforts. | |
