Impact of the graphic Canadian warning labels on adult smoking behaviour

Objective: To assess the impact of graphic Canadian cigarette warning labels on current adult smokers.

Design: A random-digit-dial telephone survey was conducted with 616 adult smokers in south western Ontario, Canada in October/November 2001, with three month follow up.

Main outcome measures: Smoking behaviour (quitting, quit attempts, and reduced smoking), intentions to quit, and salience of the warning labels.

Results: Virtually all smokers (91%) reported having read the warning labels and smokers demonstrated a thorough knowledge of their content. A strong positive relation was observed between a measure of cognitive processing—the extent to which smokers reported reading, thinking about, and discussing the new labels—and smokers' intentions to quit (odds ratio (OR) 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07 to 1.16; p < 0.001). Most important, cognitive processing predicted cessation behaviour at follow up. Smokers who had read, thought about, and discussed the new labels at baseline were more likely to have quit, made a quit attempt, or reduced their smoking three months later, after adjusting for intentions to quit and smoking status at baseline (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.12; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Graphic cigarette warning labels serve as an effective population based smoking cessation intervention. The findings add to the growing literature on health warnings and provide strong support for the effectiveness of Canada's tobacco labelling policy.

     

贵阳市市售预包装食品营养标签标示现况调查

目的了解贵阳市市售预包装食品营养标签标示现况。方法在贵阳市10家超市,随机对9类食品用相机拍摄食品外包装及记录标签内容的方式,获取有关营养标签信息;调查资料用SPSS 17.0统计分析软件进行统计学分析。结果调查预包装食品乳及乳制品、谷类制品、饮料类、豆制品、肉制品、调味品、零食小吃类、罐头及其他9类共572份,548份使用营养标签,标示率为95.8%;营养成分表标示不规范率为14.1%(77/548),营养声称标示不规范率为38.4%(28/73);主动标示率为18.6%(102/548),饮料类食品主动标示率最高(33.3%,18/54)。结论自《预包装食品营养标签通则》实施以来,预包装食品营养标签标示率明显提高,且更加规范。但仍有一些问题,预包装食品营养标签主动标示率较低,主动标示容易出现不规范现象。     

How do different warning signs compare with the guideline daily amount and traffic-light system?

Nutritional warnings are rapidly gaining relevance, particularly in the region of the Americas, as a front-of-package nutrition labelling scheme that facilitate the identification of products with high content of nutrients associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Several graphic designs are being developed as countries discuss the implementation of nutritional warnings, which makes it necessary to develop research to evaluate their efficacy. In this context, the aim of the present work was to compare the efficacy of a series of nutritional warnings that are being considered by Brazilian national authorities for the country with two of the most studied schemes: the guidelines daily amounts (GDA) and the traffic light system. Two studies were conducted. In the first one, visual search was conducted with 62 participants to evaluate the time needed by them to identify the schemes on food labels and to identify whether a product had high nutrient content. In the second study, an online survey with 1932 participants was used to evaluate their ability to use FOP nutrition labelling schemes to correctly identify the most healthful product in a set, as well as high nutrient content in a product. In addition, the influence of FOP nutrition labelling schemes on perceived healthfulness was evaluated. Finally, consumers’ perception of the schemes was gathered using an open-ended question. Results confirmed the advantages of nutritional warnings compared to the GDA and the traffic-light system to facilitate the identification of products with high content of nutrients associated with NCDs. In addition, the use of familiar signs frequently used to convey a ‘warning message’ outperformed other unfamiliar signs in terms of their ability to facilitate the interpretation of nutrition information. Regarding colour, black signs tended to required significantly less time to be detected when included on colour food labels compared to red signs.     

Publicity bans and health warnings: a 74-nation resume of oppression

A tabulation of official or officially inspired restrictions on tobacco advertising and of rules governing health warnings in 74 countries, based on data compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Smoking and Health, shows that restrictions are widespread in many advanced countries but less prevalent elsewhere. 37 countries, primarily in developing areas but including Bulgaria, Greece, and Portugal, had no present or pending restrictions on advertising or requirements for health warnings. In addition, advertising restrictions were absent but pending in Brazil, Israel, and Mexico, and daytime advertising restrictions on television and radio were in effect in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru. 20 developed countries plus Burma, Iraq, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, and Zambia ban television and radio advertising of cigarettes; 11 countries ban cigarette advertising in the press; 14 countries ban television and radio advertising of other tobacco products; and 8 countries ban advertising of other tobacco products in the press. Health warnings are required on cigarette packs only in Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Panama, Peru, the UK, the US, and some areas of Australia. No countries require health warning labels on other tobacco products, and only Australia, Canada, Panama, Peru, and the UK require health warnings in advertisements.     

Nutri-Score,multiple traffic light and incomplete nutrition labelling on food packages: Effects on consumers’ accuracy in identifying healthier snack options

Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels are designed to help consumers evaluate the healthiness of foods and to promote healthier food choices. In this study, an online experiment with Swiss consumers (N = 1313) was conducted to compare the effects of different nutrition label formats on consumers’ evaluations of snack food healthiness. Participants were asked to select the healthier option in 105 pairwise comparisons of 15 salty snacks. The participants were randomly assigned to one of five conditions: the FOP presented with (1) the nutrition facts table, (2) the multiple traffic light (MTL), (3) the Nutri-Score, (4) the Nutri-Score on half of the products, or (5) no nutrition information (control). The consumers’ evaluations of the snacks’ healthiness were fairly accurate, even without being given nutrition information on the packaging. The Nutri-Score led to the greatest accuracy in identifying the healthier of two snacks (when using the British FSA/Ofcom nutrient profiling score to determine product healthiness); however, this had only a minimal effect on the evaluation when only some of the products were labelled. Both FOP labels were superior to the FOP with and without the nutrition facts. This indicates that for maximum effectiveness, the labelling of all available products is needed. The perceived usefulness and public support of mandatory implementation were higher for the MTL than for the Nutri-Score label; however, for the latter, perceived usefulness and public acceptance were higher among the participants who became familiar with the label during the experiment than among those who did not.     

欧盟食品标识法规管理现状及对我国食品标识体系的建议

发达国家对食品标签规定越来越详细和完善,标识管理也在一定程度上形成了技术贸易壁垒。为了更好的了解发达国家的标识管理,促进我国标识管理的发展,文中分别从水平和垂直角度介绍了欧盟的食品标识法规并分析了其管理中的特色法规。在此基础上,对比了欧盟和中国的食品标识法规的现状,提出了中国应该加强食品标识的系统性、完整性和科学性等建议。     

Lung cancer, tobacco, and environmental factors in the African population of the Northern Province, South Africa

DESIGN: Case-control study among incident African patients with cancer. Questionnaire assessment of exposure to tobacco, occupation, and place of birth. SETTING: Northern Province, South Africa. SUBJECTS: Between 1993 and 1995, 288 men and 60 women with lung cancer and 183 male and 197 female controls (consisting of patients newly diagnosed with cancers other than those known to be associated with smoking) were interviewed. Unmatched, unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of developing lung cancer in relation to a number of variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk of developing lung cancer related to exposure to tobacco, indoor pollution, dusty work environment, and residential exposure to asbestos. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the risk of developing lung cancer through smoking. In men, the ORs were 2.2 (95% CI = 1.0 to 4. 6) in ex-smokers, 9.8 (95% CI = 5.9 to 16.4) in light smokers (0-14 g/day), and 12.0 (95% CI = 6.5 to 22.3) in heavy smokers. In women, the ORs were 5.8 (95% CI = 1.3 to 25.8) in ex-smokers and 5.5 (95% CI = 2.6 to 11.3) in current smokers. Work in a dusty industry showed an elevated risk (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.8 to 5.8) for lung cancer only in men. Male residents of areas where asbestos was shipped for distribution (termed moderately polluted asbestos areas) had a 2.5-fold increase (95% CI = 1.0 to 4.4) in the risk (OR) of developing lung cancer, and residents of areas where asbestos was mined (termed heavily polluted asbestos areas) had a 2.8-fold increase in risk (95% CI = 0.7 to 10.4). Female residents of heavily polluted asbestos areas showed elevated risks of 5.4 (95% CI = 1.3 to 22.5) of developing lung cancer. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that tobacco smoking is the most important risk factor for the development of lung cancer in this setting. Risks for lung cancer are reminiscent of those observed in Western countries in the 1960s and 1970s. However, environmental exposure to asbestos, a dusty occupation (in men), and perhaps indoor air pollution may also contribute to the development of lung cancer in this province.     

标签自动供送系统的研究

针对标签的自身特点及要求,研究分析标签自动供送系统的工作原理,满足标签自动化作业方面的工艺要求,提高生产效率;基于标签作业方面的特定需要,研究关键技术问题的解决方案,并进行技术设计和工艺探讨;运用INVENTOR模拟设计标签自动供送系统装置,并对组成及关键结构进行分析,实现标签的自动供送作业。     

Evaluation of safe food-handling instructions on raw meat and poultry products

Every year in the United States, millions of people become ill, thousands of people die, and substantial economic costs are incurred from foodborne diseases. As a measure to prevent foodborne diseases, since July 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has required that safe food-handling labels be placed on retail packages of raw or partially cooked meat and poultry products. Through selected states' Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) interviews, survey data were collected to determine the proportion of adults aware of the label and adults who reported changing their raw meat-handling practices because of the label. Fifty-one percent of the 14,262 respondents reported that they had seen the label. Of these, 79% remembered reading the label, and 37% of persons who reported that they had seen and read the label reported changing their raw meat preparation methods because of the label. Women were more likely than men to have read the label, as were persons who are at least 30 years of age compared to younger adults (P < 0.05). Both label awareness and risky food-handling behaviors increased with education and income, suggesting that safe food-handling labels have limited influence on consumer practices. Our results also suggest that the labels might be more effective in discouraging cross-contamination than in promoting thorough cooking practices. We suggest that the label is only one component among many food safety education programs that are needed to inform consumers about proper food-handling and preparation practices and to motivate persons who have risky food-handling and preparation behaviors to change these behaviors.     

预包装食品标签标示易错点解析

预包装食品标签不仅应符合GB 7718-2011、GB 28050-2011及产品执行标准中对标签标示的规定,还应同时符合该产品属性、配料、加工工艺等方面涉及的卫计委公告、农业部公告等相关法规的规定。这类法规较为繁杂,食品生产企业在标签设计时常会对某些规定有所忽略。本文针对大类食品的强制性国家标准、多标准或多条款重叠要求、净含量的标示、公告中的特殊要求等几个方面作了易错点总结。希望对预包装食品标签的设计工作有所帮助。     

Dietary intake and clinical response of hospitalized patients with acute diarrhea

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea and malnutrition remain major health problems among children of developing countries. During diarrhea, the patient's dietary intake and absorption of nutrients are reduced while nutritional requirements are increased. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between food intake and clinical response during the hospital stay of patients with acute diarrhea. METHODS: A hospital-based longitudinal study was conducted in 118 patients with acute diarrhea aged 6 to 59 months who required treatment for at least 3 days in the in-patient ward in Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B). Daily food intake was measured and anthropometric measurements were taken to assess nutritional status. Daily stool weight and clinical records were collected. The data were analyzed with SPSS/PC+, version 10, and EPI STAT, version 3.2.2. RESULTS: The duration of diarrhea was 50% greater in patients with lower energy intake (less than 50% of the recommended dietary allowance [RDA]) than in those with higher energy intake (6 vs. 4 days, p = <.001). Patients with lower energy intake had 22% greater stool output than those with higher energy intake (122.65 vs. 100.37 mL/kg body weight/day, p = .04). Among patients with lower energy intake, the weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores (WAZ and WHZ) at discharge from the hospital were higher than those at admission (-3.53 +/- 1.25 vs. -3.67 +/- 1.31 and 1.95 +/- 1.23 vs. -2.14 +/- 1.22, respectively; p = .001 for both comparisons), but these scores did not differ at admission and discharge among patients with higher energy intake. The Kaplan-Meier survival function showed that 80% of well-nourished children (WAZ > or = -2), as compared with 58% of malnourished children (WAZ < -2), recovered by the 4th day of treatment (p < .01). The length of the recovery period was related negatively with total energy intake (p = < .001) and mid-upper-arm circumference (p = .004) and positively with stool weight. CONCLUSIONS: Food intake was reduced in the hospitalized children because of severe illness. Patients with lower energy intake as a percentage of RDA had delayed clinical recovery and higher stool output.     

Consumer interest in information cues denoting quality,traceability and origin: An application of ordered probit models to beef labels

The objective of this paper is, first, to determine which information cues on beef labels really attract consumer interest, specified as the level of perceived importance attached to and attention paid to label cues. The focus is (1) on indications of quality through a quality label and quality guarantee, (2) on indications referring to the mandatory European beef labelling regulation and traceability system, and (3) on indications reflecting country-of-origin. The second objective is to assess the impact of a campaign aiming at informing consumers about beef traceability, and at raising consumer interest in beef quality, traceability and origin. Data were collected from a sample of 278 beef consumers in Belgium. Ordered probit models were specified and estimated to assess the impact of individual characteristics and the beef labelling information campaign. Findings reveal that consumer interest is generally low for traceability, moderate for origin and high for direct indications of quality like a quality guarantee seal or expiration date. Interest in label cues is specifically low among younger males. Further, the information campaign had a measurable positive impact on consumer attention paid to direct indications of quality and country-of-origin. Strategies including traceability for backing up on-label indications of quality and origin, rather than providing consumers with detailed traceability information on-label, are recommended.     

智利包装正面食品警告标签发展经验及对中国的启示

通过智利卫生部官方网站、文献等渠道收集智利包装正面食品警告标签的有关资料,从警告标签推行背景、算法、实施效果、与他国警告标签对比、与其他包装正面标签作用比较等方面总结其成功经验,为中国优化包装正面标签提供若干启发。     

非容器粘贴的贴标技术

<正> 在食品工业中,食品和饮料产品向多元化、多品种方向发展是勿庸置疑的,为了配合产品的推广,生产商便要从包装方面着手。随着产品不断的推陈出新,包装装璜亦需要作出同步的变化,而能够充分配合这种需求的,莫过于使用标签作为产品的第一重包装。这样,生产商便可对品种不同的产品随时作出包装上的更改而毋须重新生产外观特别的容器,在相当程度上有助于降低包装成本。 随着市场对贴标的需求日益增长,贴标技术因此取得很大的发展,从以往需要在整个标签涂上粘合剂进行贴标,发展到现在只须将粘合剂涂在标签的边缘位置,     

国内外食品标签法规标准比较研究

世界各国的食品标签法规标准不尽相同,本文概述了食品法典委员会和几个主要发达国家的食品标签法规标准,比较了它们与中国食品标签法规标准的异同点,包括标准覆盖范围、食品添加剂标示、致敏原标示和食品标签声称用语规范等,并对这些异同点进行了深入分析。     

Rural consumers' attitudes towards nutrition labelling.

PURPOSE: Consumer workshops in rural and remote locations were evaluated for their efficacy in changing participants' self-perceived attitudes and behaviours related to nutrition labelling. METHODS: Project-trained community health educators used pilot-tested workshop resources to facilitate 18 workshops across the country. Participants completed pre-workshop questionnaires to permit the identification of demographic characteristics and attitudes and behaviours related to nutrition labelling at point-of-purchase. RESULTS: The majority of the 259 consumers who submitted questionnaires were women (81%), and aged 35 to 54 (35%); 51% reported more than a high school education and 34% had less than $25,000 as a yearly family income. Self-perceived attitudes and behaviours related to nutrition labelling differed only slightly by family income before the workshop. Workshops were rated positively (mode=4 [range 2 to 5]). Thirty-five consumers were surveyed three months after the workshop; the majority were women (89%), were aged 35 to 54 (43%), and had completed high school (51%). Self-perceived attitudes and behaviours for all respondents (n=35) had improved. Use of acquired knowledge and skills at point-of-purchase was high for all respondents (mode=4 [range 2 to 5]; five-point Likert scale). CONCLUSIONS: Providing in-person consumer workshops with pilot-tested materials in rural and remote locations had positive impacts on attitudes and behaviours related to the use of nutrition labelling.     

What determines consumer attention to nutrition labels?

To identify the key determinants of consumer attention to nutrition labels, visual search tasks (present –absent; one – two targets) were used as an effective experimental tool. The main manipulation concerned: set size (number of labels on front of pack); label characteristics (display size, position of the label on front-of-pack, colour scheme); and familiarity with type of the label and its location on the front of pack.Attention capture was faster and more accurate when the label was present rather than absent, with doubled rather than standard display size, and with mono- rather than polychromatic colouring. There was performance benefit when the type of label and its location on the package did not change in two consecutive exposures, suggesting that nutrition logos should be printed in a consistent location on the package.The results confirm our hypotheses that display size, colour scheme, familiarity with the label and its location on the front of the pack are key determinants of consumer attention to labels. These findings are crucial to better understanding consumer attention to labels and thus the impact of nutrition information on healthy food choice.     

Consumer interpretation of ready to drink orange juice and nectar labelling

The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers' use and interpretation of ready to drink orange juice and nectar label information and its influence on the purchase decision. One hundred and sixty‐seven consumers of ready to drink orange juice and nectar were interviewed. The labels were analysed to evaluate their conformance to Brazilian legislation. The manufacturing and shelf life date were the information most often checked, followed by health related issues. Brand, price and flavour were the most important factors for purchase decision. Brand and flavour showed significant association with consumer age. For most interviewed, ‘nectar’, ‘whole’ and ‘natural’ or ‘100% natural’ were not well understood; they were not in accordance with the Brazilian legislation. ‘Nectar’, ‘whole’ and ‘natural’ or ‘100% natural’ received a positive interpretation, whereas ‘reconstituted juice’ was considered a negative expression. Nevertheless, none of the labels completely conformed to the specific nutritional labelling legislation.     

European GM foods labelling legislation: yet another straw on the camel's back?

In contrast to the USA, Europe's approach to regulating genetically modified (GM) crops and derived foods started from the premise that any and all products of the GM process required additional and unique regulatory controls. Consideration of the characteristics of GM products as the technology evolves, together with attempts to meet consumer lobby demands, have led to a continuing flow of legislative amendments. While a stringent assessment system, coupled with mandatory labelling, was seen as the way to promote consumer confidence, many consumers now view a GM label as a safety warning—caveat emptor.Legislative amendments published in January 2000 attempted to provide a more comprehensive and enforceable basis for labelling, but the apparent mismatch between consumer desires and regulatory requirements persists. Can meaningful labelling that facilitates the free movement of products across Europe and satisfies consumer demand be developed or, by enshrining GM labelling in law, have we done both industry and the consumer a disservice? Regulatory approval of GM-derived foods seems to be losing credibility with the public, as retailers across Europe, and increasingly across the US, respond to consumer demand by removing GM ingredients from own-brand products.The scientific developments, commercial potential and legislative hurdles posed by GM-derived foods were considered at length at a conference prior to introduction of the legislation—yet many of the issues raised are still to be resolved.