How adequate is our food labeling system for patients with chronic diseases?

Abstract

Food labels displayed on the packed food items provide important nutritional information which is aimed at guiding the consumer. However, due to lack of a globally consistent food labeling system, these labels are often inadequate in imparting the required information. Information on nutrition composition of various food products was collected. Their nutrition tables were evaluated and classified as "adequate" or "inadequate". We conducted a survey on 82 patients with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 and 5 to assess the frequency of buying packed foods, their knowledge on current food labeling, challenges in interpreting its information and options for upgrading them. Of 177 food items assessed, dietary sodium and calcium had maximum reporting (37.8% , 28.8% respectively), dietary fibre had moderate to poor reporting (15.2%) while dietary potassium and phosphorus (4.5% , 5% respectively) had extremely poor reporting. We found 97% labels were inadequate in reporting all the nutrients having disease implications. 91.5% patients reported they wish to have simpler icons on food labels. Current food labeling system is in adequate in reporting nutrients linked with chronic disease implications. It is a genuine need of hour to upgrade these food labels with better user-friendly system and also train the consumers in interpreting the labels in order to avoid making incorrect food choices.