Sodium and nutrition labelling: a qualitative study exploring New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviours. Issue 5 (7th May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McLean, Rachael; Hoek, Janet
• Is Part Of: Public health nutrition. Volume 17:Issue 5(2014)
• Page Start: 1138
• Page End: 1146
• Publication Date: 2013-05-07
• Subjects: Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutrition policy -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980013001079
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-9800

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Objective</title> <p>Dietary sodium reduction is an important public health intervention that would reduce blood pressure and chronic disease. An understanding of how New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviour is influenced by perceptions of dietary sodium will inform future sodium-reduction strategies.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="general"> <title>Design</title> <p>The present qualitative study used in-depth interviews of adult consumers to explore consumer knowledge, understanding of food labels and food purchasing behaviour with respect to dietary sodium.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="general"> <title>Setting</title> <p>New Zealand.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="subjects"> <title>Subjects</title> <p>A convenience sample of sixteen adult grocery shoppers.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs5" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>A thematic analysis of the transcripts showed New Zealand consumers lacked the background knowledge necessary to understand and regulate their own salt intake and were unable to interpret existing food labels with respect to dietary salt.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs6" sec-type="conclusion"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The findings add further weight to calls for food labels that do not require background knowledge or numerical skills and highlight the need for population-based public health interventions. Education of New Zealand consumers on the health benefits of sodium reduction and how this may be achieved would complement this approach.</p> </sec> </abstract>