Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
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Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Food labeling plays a critical role in enabling individuals to monitor dietary intake and make informed nutritional choices, thereby contributing to the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. Limited food literacy represents a major global public health challenge, contributing to adverse health outcomes and increased morbidity and mortality. Objective: To assess the awareness, knowledge, and readability of food labels, as well as the factors influencing these aspects among future healthcare professionals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing a convenience sample of 200 medical and pharmaceutical students. All participants were asked to fill in a newly developed and validated questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed based on a thorough literature review, comprising sections on demographics, nutritional awareness, and knowledge related to food labels. The questionnaire's content validity was confirmed by expert review, and its reliability was established through test-retest assessments, showing high correlation coefficients (r = 0.931 for nutritional awareness; r = 0.688 for nutritional knowledge). Results: The mean age of study participants was 22.36 years. The majority of participants were female (71.5%) and all resided in urban areas. Participants mainly focused on taste, expiration date, and price when making food purchasing decisions, with less emphasis on organic characteristics or manufacturing country. Most (>50%) highlighted reading sugar, protein, and caloric content on labels, but barriers such as small font and unclear language hindered proper reading. Overall, participants demonstrated low levels of nutritional knowledge (13%) and awareness (13.5%). Conclusion: Healthcare students in Iraq show poor knowledge and awareness of food labels, with limited readability due to unclear labeling and time constraints, highlighting the need for improved nutrition education. Novelty of the Study: This study represents one of the first investigations assessing food label literacy among future healthcare professionals in Iraq using a newly developed and validated assessment tool. By framing the findings within the context of functional food science and the FFC 17-step model for bioactive compound evaluation, this research offers novel insights into specific educational gaps that may hinder the translation of nutrition knowledge into chronic disease prevention strategies. Keywords: Food label literacy; nutritional awareness; healthcare students; medical and pharmacy education; nutrition knowledge; food labeling comprehension; cross-sectional study; public health nutrition
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@article{Faisal2026deep,
title = {A deep dive into food label literacy and nutritional awareness among future medical and pharmaceutical professionals: A cross-sectional study},
author = {Zainab Faisal and Hasan Fadhil and Ehab Mikhael},
journal = {Functional Foods in Health and Disease},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.31989/ffhd.v16i8.1969},
url = {https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v16i8.1969}
}FAQ
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