Online Program

Oral

Food and menu labeling have received increased attention by decision makers, the public, and the media in recent years with the proposed updates to the nutrition facts panel in 2014 and the inclusion of mandatory menu labeling for restaurants with 20 or more establishments in the Affordable Care Act of 2010. This session will focus specifically on these two issues, with discussions of the most consumer-friendly strategies available for conveying nutrition information, usage of this information by consumers, and where does responsibility lie in providing this type of nutrition information to the public.

Session Objectives: Discuss the importance of salient communication strategies in health promotion efforts and their influence on consumer behavior. Analyze the association between nutrition label use and health, and assess if the association differs between men and women. Identify prevalence of menu-labeling usage among adults by state; and compare menu-labeling usage by key demographic variables. Identify reasons why restaurant managers may/may not be willing to participate in menu labeling, especially as related to perceived responsibility.