Informational campaign effects of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 on diet

Abstract

This study examines consumer response to a mass-media educational campaign undertaken as part of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990, employing media content analysis. Time and spatial variation in the nutrition-label information dissemination in the newspaper media were modeled in a difference-in-difference framework. The goal, however, is not to assess newspaper as a source, but to understand the impact of how nutrition information is portrayed. We find limited impact of the media informational campaign. Articles that portrayed Nutrition Facts Labels in a positive way decreased sugars intake from labeled foods. Interestingly, articles that portrayed Nutrition Facts Labels negatively had more impact on unlabeled foods. The findings give insights into communication of nutrition information to the public.

Keywords:

• nutrition information
• Nutrition Labeling and Education Act
• NLEA
• nutrition education
• nutrition
• mass media
• newspaper

Public Interest Statement

Discussion in the mass media of nutritional tools to choose healthier could have profound effects on consumer’s dietary choices. This study examines consumer response to the mass-media informational campaign to publicize Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP). Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 required posting a standardized NFP on most processed food products. We conduct a media content analysis of nutrition-label information dissemination in the newspaper media. Information on the date and time of newspaper publication and the date and time of consumer survey were combined with the geographic location of the newspaper in circulation and the city of the respondent. We find limited impact of the media informational campaign. Articles that portrayed Nutrition Facts Labels in a positive way decreased sugars intake from labeled foods. Interestingly, articles that portrayed Nutrition Facts Labels negatively had more impact on unlabeled foods.

Acknowledgements

Critical comments and suggestions from Karen Chapman-Novakofski, Craig Gundersen, Charles Nelson, and Laurian Unnevehr, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics are gratefully acknowledged. Excellent editorial comments from Maria Crawford have improved the writing, and we are thankful to her.

Notes

1. Published on Tuesday, 9 April 1996, written by Michele Murphy Wise, and Barbara Zonakis in page D2 in the Section Health & Fitness in the newspaper Post-Tribune (IN).

2. Published on Monday, 16 October 1995, written by Paul Raeburn in page 5-B in the newspaper The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA).

Additional information

Funding

Funding. The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Jebaraj Asirvatham

Jebaraj Asirvatham is an applied economist who works in research areas with overlaps in economics, psychology, and nutrition and health. He has several years of research experience in applying advanced econometric and statistical methods to better model the relationships of interest in any research work, particularly in the area of nutrition and health outcomes. In a recent work, he identified causal peer-effects of obese children on the BMI of school children. He has researched the effect of food environment and education on health. In his research work, he uses science-based evidence to model economic relationships. In one specific study, he found differential probability of becoming obese based on obesity prevalence among peers by race and gender. His dissertation research was on behavioral economics of food consumption and nutrition policy, which utilized methods and concepts from economics, psychology, nutrition, and health to model and examine policy influences and behavioral determinants of nutritional outcomes. He teaches Marketing and Pricing of Agriculture Products and Financial Management in Agriculture.