The effectiveness of front-of-pack warning labels in assisting South African consumers to identify unhealthy packaged foods

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Date

2024

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of the Western Cape

Abstract

Background: Unhealthy diets that are excessive in energy, saturated fats, trans-fat, sugar and salt are associated with obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart diseases and some cancers. Globally there is a decline in consumption of traditional diets and an increase in preference for energy-dense processed food, and South Africa is no exception in this regard. Concurrently, the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related complications is on the increase in South Africa and worldwide. The development of a simplified front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) system is one of the critical steps in assisting consumers to identify unhealthy food products and consequently contribute to stemming the obesity trajectory and its related complications.

Description

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD

Keywords

Nutrition, Obesity, Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), Front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), Food selection

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