PARADOXICAL EFFECT OF A NUTRITION LABELING SCHEME IN A STUDENT CAFETERIA

The study examined the influence of nutrition information on nutrient intakes at lunch in a college cafeteria, in relation to selected subje ct characteristics. Experimental subjects (EXP, n=65) ate all mid-day meals in a student cafeteria over two weeks with identical meal cycles . Information on the energy and fat content of food items was displaye d in the cafeteria in week two. On completion of the study, subjects c ompleted questionnaires on selected beliefs and attitudes, and eating restraint. The main outcome measures of the study were energy and macr onutrient intakes of meals in week one vs. week two. Unexpectedly, EXP subjects had significantly increased total energy, grams fat, grams c arbohydrate and decreased grams protein and % energy from protein in w eek two vs. week one. Subsequent analyses indicate that these results were largely due to changes in the eating behaviour of males and less restrained eaters. Provision of nutrition labels therefore did not hav e a positive effect on food choices and, for certain subgroups, it had a negative effect. These results point to the importance of assessing the motivational characteristics of a consumer population in the deve lopment of nutrition education programs.