Avaliação da compreensão da representação gráfica das informações nutricionais de rótulos de alimentos em adolescentes

Abstract

This paper aims at evaluating the understanding of graphical representation of nutritional information on food labels by young adolescent students. Therefore, it was carried out a cross-sectional study with 56 young adolescent students (n = 56), aged between 15 and 17 years, enrolled in a private school in Porto Alegre / RS. A specific questionnaire containing nine dichotomous and multiple choice closed questions was used for data gathering. The results showed that 41% of young adolescent students usually read the labels before purchasing, 71% of them claim to know the meaning of the energetic value of food, 63% say they understand the information written on the labels, and 61 % trust the information written on food packages. Most adolescents understand the nutritional components present on the labels of Brazilian foods, and only 45% understood the nutrition information on the Traffic Light labelling system, showing that the labels used in Brazil are better understood. The results indicate that a meaningful number of adolescents (63%) understands the nutritional components on the labels of Brazilian food, and a meaningful number of individuals understood and identified the healthiest nutritional information given on labels; however, it is suggested the development of nutrition education programs to enhance the understanding of the nutritional information on the labels for this consumer profile.