發展中經濟體工人階級對食品標示的消費者行為及其對健康狀況的影響

Does Attitude to Food Label Matter and What Are Its Effects on the Anthropometric Measures of the Working Class in a Developing Economy?

目標：食品標籤提供的資訊可幫助消費者建立均衡飲食並避免可能與食品營養攝取不當相關的風險。由於與飲食相關的公共衛生問題日益增多，食品標籤被認為非常重要，主要是因為它可以為消費者提供信息，用於做出明智和更健康的食品選擇。本研究評估了消費者對食品標籤的行為及其對伊巴丹大學教職員工健康狀況的影響。
方法：採用多階段抽樣技術抽取伊巴丹大學304位教職人員。使用描述性統計、身體質量指數（BMI）、四點李克特量表和序位邏輯迴歸模型對數據進行分析。
結果：約三分之二（67.76%）的受訪者體重正常。超重、肥胖和體重不足的比例分別為22.7%、6.91%和2.63%。大部分消費者（92%）在第一次購買食品時會閱讀生產日期、保質期等基本訊息，這些資訊被認為是食品標籤上最重要的資訊。超重和肥胖的可能性隨著年齡的增長而增加，但隨著男性身份和對食品標籤的態度而下降。
結論：這項研究發現，年齡、性別和對食品標籤的態度顯著影響奈及利亞大學教職員的身體質量指數。在對食品標籤態度較差的女性工作者中，超重和肥胖現像比男性工人更為突出。雖然很多人會檢查保質期，但很少人會考慮營養細節。公共衛生計劃應提高食品標籤知識，特別是針對婦女和老年人，以促進知情的食物選擇並降低肥胖風險。需要更強有力的監管和宣傳活動，以最大限度地發揮食品標籤的好處，促進更健康的飲食和改善福祉。

Objectives: Food labels supplies information that aid consumers in building a well-balanced diet and avoiding risks that may be connected with inappropriate nutrition consumption of foods. Owing to increasing diet-related public health problems, food labeling has been considered very important, mainly because it can provide consumers with information that can be used to make informed and healthier food choices. Furthermore, there is paucity of information on attitudes of consumers to food label as well as its effect on nutritional outcomes in Nigeria. Thus, consumers’behavior towards food labels and its effect on the health status of University of Ibadan staff was investigated.
Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 304 staffers of the University of Ibadan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Body Mass Index (BMI) and ordered logit regression model.
Results: About two-thirds (67.76%) of the respondents had normal weight, while 22.7%, 6.91% and 2.63% were overweight, obese and underweight, respectively. The majority of the consumers (92%) read the basic information like date of production and expiry date, which were considered as the most important information on the food label of a food bought for the first time. The probability of being overweight and obese increased with age but declined with being a male and good attitude to food labels.
Conclusion: This study finds that age, gender, and attitude toward food labels significantly influence BMI among Nigerian university staff. Overweight and obesity is more prominent among female workers with poor attitude towards food labels than among their male counterparts. While most of the respondents check expiration dates, few consider nutritional details. Public health programs should enhance food label literacy, particularly for women and older adults, to promote informed food choices and reduce obesity risks. Stronger regulations and awareness campaigns are needed to maximize the benefits of food labels for healthier diets and improved well-being.