Food and nutrition labelling as a nutrition education tool: understanding, perspectives and practices of South African dietitians – reading without comprehension (understanding)

The Global Burden of Disease Study group recently stated that poor-quality diets are now the leading cause of disease worldwide. Consumer education by means of food product labelling can guide the consumer decision-making process, encourage consumers to make informed healthier food choices, and thus help to alleviate the burden of disease. Food labelling can also assist producers to promote their products based on the nutritional benefits that they offer. However, consumers’ understanding of labelling and what this means to them may hinder the good intentions of accurately crafted labels. A label is a producer’s main form of communication with consumers and can sway a consumer to either consume or reject a food product.