Main Article Content

Consumer knowledge and utilization of food labels on prepackaged food products in Lagos State


F.A. Olatona
C.O. Nwankwo
A.O. Ogunyemi
K.E. Nnoaham

Abstract

Objectives: Consumption of pre-packaged food products which are a risk factor for non-communicable diseases, is on the increase in many developing countries. This study sought to determine the knowledge and utilization of food labels among consumers of pre-packaged food products in Lagos State.

Method: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study among adults in Lagos, Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling method was used to select 420 respondents. Only adults who consume pre-packaged foods were included in the study. Data was collected using structured interviewer administered questionnaires and analysis was done using Epi Info 7 statistical software. Level of significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: Only 21 (5.0%) respondents had good level of knowledge of food label information. There was a significant association between level of knowledge of food label information and age in this study, level of knowledge increased with increasing age (p<0.05). Less than one third of the respondents, 123 (29.2%)
made good use of food label information. There was a positive significant association between income and use of food labels. (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Levels of knowledge and use of food label information were poor among consumers of prepackaged food products in Lagos State. There is a need for increased nutrition education of the study population to improve their nutritional knowledge and use of food label information.

Keywords: Food labels, food labelling, consumer knowledge, knowledge of food labels, utilization of food labels, prepackaged food products


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2467-8252
print ISSN: 2360-7793