scholarly journals Large Variations in Declared Serving Sizes of Packaged Foods in Australia: A Need for Serving Size Standardisation?

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 139 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

scholarly journals Serving Size and Nutrition Labelling: Implications for Nutrition Information and Nutrition Claims on Packaged Foods

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Kliemann ◽  
Mariana Kraemer ◽  
Tailane Scapin ◽  
Vanessa Rodrigues ◽  
Ana Fernandes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Nutrition Claims ◽  
Nutrition Labelling ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

The presentation of nutrition information on a serving size basis is a strategy that has been adopted by several countries to promote healthy eating. Variation in serving size, however, can alter the nutritional values reported on food labels and compromise the food choices made by the population. This narrative review aimed to discuss (1) current nutrition labelling legislation regarding serving size and (2) the implications of declared serving size for nutrition information available on packaged foods. Most countries with mandatory food labelling require that serving size be presented on food labels, but variation in this information is generally allowed. Studies have reported a lack of standardisation among serving sizes of similar products which may compromise the usability of nutrition information. Moreover, studies indicate that food companies may be varying serving sizes as a marketing strategy to stimulate sales by reporting lower values of certain nutrients or lower energy values on nutrition information labels. There is a need to define the best format for presenting serving size on food labels in order to provide clear and easily comprehensible nutrition information to the consumer.

Serving sizes and energy values on the nutrition labels of regular and diet/light processed and ultra-processed dairy products sold in Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (7) ◽  
pp. 1579-1593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscila Pereira Machado ◽  
Mariana Vieira dos Santos Kraemer ◽  
Nathalie Kliemann ◽  
Cláudia Flemming Colussi ◽  
Marcela Boro Veiros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Dairy Products ◽  
Dairy Product ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Nutrition Labels ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Size Information ◽  
Nutrition Labelling ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse and compare the serving sizes and energy values reported on the nutrition information of all processed and ultra-processed dairy products in their regular and diet/light versions available for sale in a large supermarket in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – A check was done for associations between the compliance of reported serving sizes, energy values per serving and energy density for regular foods and foods advertised at “diet/light” (with reduced fat and calories). Findings – The data included information from 451 dairy product labels. Most of the products had serving sizes smaller than the reference set by Brazilian law. A high variability of serving sizes was found for similar products. “Diet/light” foods tend to report serving sizes that are even smaller and more inadequate. Moreover, the energy density of these products was similar to that of the regular foods. Smaller serving sizes may be being presented on “diet/light” foods in order to report lower energy values and on similar foods to show non-existent differences in energy values. These results point to the importance of standardizing serving size information on food labels so that consumers have access to clear and accurate information about food products. Originality/value – This was the first census-type study to analyse the serving size information of dairy products at a supermarket of one of the ten largest supermarket chains in Brazil. This work extends the scope of current food labelling and contributes to the discussion about how nutrition labelling has been presented to Brazilian consumers and its possible consequences for food choices and the guarantee of consumer rights.

Underestimating a serving size may lead to increased food consumption when using Canada’s Food Guide

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 923-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharona L. Abramovitch ◽  
Jacinta I. Reddigan ◽  
Mazen J. Hamadeh ◽  
Veronica K. Jamnik ◽  
Chip P. Rowan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
South Asian ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Dietary Recall ◽  
Food Records ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Size Estimates ◽  
Serving Size

It is unclear whether Canadians accurately estimate serving sizes and the number of servings in their diet as intended by Canada’s Food Guide (CFG). The objective of this study was to determine if participants can accurately quantify the size of 1 serving and the number of servings consumed per day. White, Black, South Asian, and East Asian adults (n = 145) estimated the quantity of food that constituted 1 CFG serving, and used CFG to estimate the number of servings that they consumed from their 24-h dietary recall. Participants estimated 1 serving size of vegetables and fruit (+43%) and grains (+55%) to be larger than CFG serving sizes (p ≤ 0.05); meat alternatives (–33%) and cheese (–31%) to be smaller than a CFG serving size (p ≤ 0.05); and chicken, carrots, and milk servings accurately (p > 0.05). Serving size estimates were positively correlated with the amount of food participants regularly consumed at 1 meal (p < 0.001). From their food records, all ethnicities estimated that they consumed fewer servings of vegetables and fruit (–15%), grains (–28%), and meat and alternatives (–14%) than they actually consumed, and more servings of milk and alternatives (+26%, p ≤ 0.05) than they actually consumed. Consequently, 68% of participants believed they needed to increase consumption by greater than 200 kcal to meet CFG recommendations. In conclusion, estimating serving sizes to be larger than what is defined by CFG may inadvertently lead to estimating that fewer servings were consumed and overeating if Canadians follow CFG recommendations without guidance. Thus, revision to CFG or greater public education regarding the dietary guidelines is warranted.

scholarly journals Consumer Understanding, Perception and Interpretation of Serving Size Information on Food Labels: A Scoping Review

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klazine Van der Horst ◽  
Tamara Bucher ◽  
Kerith Duncanson ◽  
Beatrice Murawski ◽  
David Labbe
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Portion Size ◽  
Food Literacy ◽  
Size Information ◽  
Size Selection ◽  
Portion Sizes ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

The increase in packaged food and beverage portion sizes has been identified as a potential factor implicated in the rise of the prevalence of obesity. In this context, the objective of this systematic scoping review was to investigate how healthy adults perceive and interpret serving size information on food packages and how this influences product perception and consumption. Such knowledge is needed to improve food labelling understanding and guide consumers toward healthier portion size choices. A search of seven databases (2010 to April 2019) provided the records for title and abstract screening, with relevant articles assessed for eligibility in the full-text. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria, with relevant data extracted by one reviewer and checked for consistency by a second reviewer. Twelve studies were conducted in North America, where the government regulates serving size information. Several studies reported a poor understanding of serving size labelling. Indeed, consumers interpreted the labelled serving size as a recommended serving for dietary guidelines for healthy eating rather than a typical consumption unit, which is set by the manufacturer or regulated in some countries such as in the U.S. and Canada. Not all studies assessed consumption; however, larger labelled serving sizes resulted in larger self-selected portion sizes in three studies. However, another study performed on confectionary reported the opposite effect, with larger labelled serving sizes leading to reduced consumption. The limited number of included studies showed that labelled serving size affects portion size selection and consumption, and that any labelled serving size format changes may result in increased portion size selection, energy intake and thus contribute to the rise of the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Research to test cross-continentally labelled serving size format changes within experimental and natural settings (e.g., at home) are needed. In addition, tailored, comprehensive and serving-size-specific food literacy initiatives need to be evaluated to provide recommendations for effective serving size labelling. This is required to ensure the correct understanding of nutritional content, as well as informing food choices and consumption, for both core foods and discretionary foods.

scholarly journals Common Habits, Adverse Events, and Opinions Regarding Pre-Workout Supplement Use Among Regular Consumers

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew R. Jagim ◽  
Clayton L. Camic ◽  
Patrick S. Harty
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Skin Reactions ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Upper Limits ◽  
Heart Abnormalities ◽  
One Year ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

The purpose of the present study was to examine characteristics of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplement (MIPS) users, their common patterns/habits of MIPS ingestion, and their associated feelings about the effectiveness and safety of this class of supplements. An online electronic survey was distributed through social media to assess self-reported supplementation practices and preferences among adult males and females who reported regular MIPS use. A total of 1045 individuals responded, with 872 of these individuals (males: n = 636, 72.9%; females: n = 233, 26.7%; mean ± SD; age = 27.7 ± 7.9 years; training age = 8.2 ± 7.3 years) completing the survey. The majority of respondents reported the length of current or past MIPS consumption as greater than one year (n = 630, 72.2%), with ingestion frequencies primarily of four (n = 210, 24.1%) or five (n = 212, 24.3%) days per week of training. In addition, the three most popular goals for ingesting MIPS were increased energy and focus (n = 776, 89.0%), muscular endurance (n = 325, 37.3%), and blood flow or “pump” (n = 322, 37.0%). Although most users reported ingesting one serving size with each use, 14% reported ingesting two or more, and 18% indicated they ingest MIPS more than once per day. Importantly, over half (54%) of the respondents reported experiencing side-effects following MIPS use, including skin reactions, heart abnormalities, and nausea. Females were more likely than males to experience these side effects, despite being less likely to consume two or more serving sizes per dose. Our findings also indicated that MIPS users should consume no more than the recommended serving size of a given supplement, as the potentially significant variability in the caffeine content of MIPS products is compounded as more doses are consumed. Furthermore, MIPS users should minimize the ingestion of other supplements which contain high levels of niacin and caffeine, as the concurrent consumption of such products may put users above the tolerable upper limits for these substances.

scholarly journals High variation in manufacturer-declared serving size of packaged discretionary foods in Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (10) ◽  
pp. 1810-1818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hila Haskelberg ◽  
Bruce Neal ◽  
Elizabeth Dunford ◽  
Victoria Flood ◽  
Anna Rangan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Portion Size ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Median Percentage ◽  
Percentage Difference ◽  
Dietary Guideline ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size ◽  
Sydney Australia

AbstractDespite the potential of declared serving size to encourage appropriate portion size consumption, most countries including Australia have not developed clear reference guidelines for serving size. The present study evaluated variability in manufacturer-declared serving size of discretionary food and beverage products in Australia, and how declared serving size compared with the 2013 Australian Dietary Guideline (ADG) standard serve (600 kJ). Serving sizes were obtained from the Nutrition Information Panel for 4466 packaged, discretionary products in 2013 at four large supermarkets in Sydney, Australia, and categorised into fifteen categories in line with the 2013 ADG. For unique products that were sold in multiple package sizes, the percentage difference between the minimum and the maximum serving size across different package sizes was calculated. A high variation in serving size was found within the majority of food and beverage categories – for example, among 347 non-alcoholic beverages (e.g. soft drinks), the median for serving size was 250 (interquartile range (IQR) 250, 355) ml (range 100–750 ml). Declared serving size for unique products that are available in multiple package sizes also showed high variation, particularly for chocolate-based confectionery, with median percentage difference between minimum and maximum serving size of 183 (IQR 150) %. Categories with a high proportion of products that exceeded the 600 kJ ADG standard serve included cakes and muffins, pastries and desserts (≥74 % for each). High variability in declared serving size may confound interpretation and understanding of consumers interested in standardising and controlling their portion selection. Future research is needed to assess if and how standardising declared serving size might affect consumer behaviour.

scholarly journals Consumer Understanding, Perception and Interpretation of Serving Size Information on Food Labels: A Scoping Review

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Bucher ◽  
Kerith Duncanson ◽  
Beatrice Murawski ◽  
Klazine Van der Horst ◽  
David Labbe
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Consumer Attitudes ◽  
Portion Size ◽  
Food Literacy ◽  
Size Information ◽  
Food Packages ◽  
Portion Sizes ◽  
Abstract Screening ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

This scoping review investigated how consumers perceive and interpret serving size information on food packages. A search of seven databases (2010 to September 2017) was followed by title and abstract screening, with relevant articles assessed for eligibility in full-text. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria, with relevant data extracted by one reviewer and checked for consistency by a second reviewer. Five studies reported poor understanding of nutrition facts labelling and portion size, with information to &lsquo;benchmark&rsquo; serving size against reported as helpful in two studies. Consumer attitudes towards serving size labelling were measured in six studies and identified that serving size information was interpreted as indicative of nutrient intake regardless of portion size recommendations. Increased labelled serving sizes resulted in increased portion sizes in three studies, with three studies reporting the opposite or neutral effect for discretionary food portion sizes. The influence of labelled serving size on consumer attitudes and consumption is complex and sometimes counterintuitive. As labelled serving size can impact on consumption, any changes may result in unintended public health consequences. The effects of labelled serving size format changes should be tested carefully within experimental and ecological contexts and accompanied by tailored, comprehensive and serving size-specific food literacy initiatives.

scholarly journals Serving size on nutrition labeling for processed foods sold in Brazil: Relationship to energy value

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie KLIEMANN ◽  
Marcela Boro VEIROS ◽  
David Alejandro GONZÁLEZ-CHICA ◽  
Rossana Pacheco da Costa PROENÇA
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Nutrition Labeling ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Energy Value ◽  
Label Information ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to analyze serving sizes declared on food labels with respect to their conformity to Brazilian law, variability among similar foods, and relationship to energy values. Methods: Food label information from 24 groups of processed foods was collected in one supermarket in southern Brazil. Declared serving sizes were classified into five groups according to their level of compliance with those recommended by law: <70% and >130% inadequate and 70-99%, 100% and 101-130% adequate. Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied. Results: A total of 1,953 food products were analyzed, of which 72% reported serving sizes exactly equal to those recommended, and 14% fell within the acceptable 60% range established by law. Even though most foods complied with the law, there was a variation in declared serving sizes among similar foods, with the largest ranges observed for hamburger and meatballs (364 g). In addition, declared serving sizes were significantly and positively correlated to energy value in most food groups, revealing that smaller serving sizes may be used to report lower energy value. Conclusion: The 60% acceptable serving size range established by law may lead to a lack of serving size standardization and significant variability in declared energy values on labels. This can potentially make labels confusing when comparing similar products and thus affect food choices. It is necessary to revise Brazilian law so that serving sizes are standardized among similar foods in order to facilitate healthy food choices.

scholarly journals Reference serving sizes for the Brazilian population: An analysis of processed food labels

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Kliemann ◽  
Marcela Boro Veiros ◽  
David Alejandro González-Chica ◽  
Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Brazilian Population ◽  
Nutrition Labeling ◽  
Processed Food ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Spearman Coefficient ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

OBJECTIVE: To compare serving sizes reported on processed food labels with reference serving sizes according to nutrition labeling legislation and the "Food Guide for the Brazilian Population". METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the labels of 2,072 processed foods in a supermarket of Florianópolis, Santa Caratina, Brazil. The foods were classified according to the Brazilian food labeling legislation. Central tendency and variability values were calculated for the serving sizes and energy values reported on the labels, as well as the ratio between the reported and reference energy value. The Spearman correlation test was performed between the reference serving size and the reference energy density, and also between the reference serving size and energy density of each study food. RESULTS: Nutrition labeling and the Food Guide presented reference servings with different sizes and energy values. The serving sizes reported on the labels did not follow either of the references and presented heterogeneous values, with a maximum range of 55-240 g among ready and semi-ready pre-prepared dishes. The reported energy values were between 0.1 times smaller and 2.4 times larger than the reference values. The reference serving sizes presented a highly inverse correlation with the reference energy density (Spearman coefficient= 0.9) and a very low inverse correlation with the energy density of the foods analyzed (Spearman coefficient= 0.2). CONCLUSION: This study showed the need for standardizing reference serving size information for the Brazilian population as well as reviewing nutrition labeling legislation in order to standardize the serving sizes reported on labels and to update the reference energy density used to calculate serving sizes.

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