Abstract:
Background:Food labels convey information about a packaged food from the production to consumer and help consumers to make healthier choices when choosing packaged foods and thereby reduce the risk for diet-related chronic diseases.Currently processed and packed foods are available in cities like Bahir Dar and people consumption of such foods is increasing. However,little is known on their practice of reading of nutritional labels on packed foods in the study area.
Objective:To assess reading practice of nutritional labeling andassociated factors amongpackaged food consumers.
Methods:Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 606 randomly selected packed food purchaser fromMay 27 to June 27 / 2022in Bahir Dar city. A systemic random sampling technique was used to selected study participate. Data were collected by aface to face interviewer administer techniqueduring exit interview. Data were entered into Epi data version
3.1 and then transferred to SPSSversion 26 for analysis. Variable that have P-value<0.25 by binary logistic regression were included in multivariable logistic regression. Variable P- value<0.05 were consider statically significant. association reading practice food labelling. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to measure the strength of association.
Results:In this study, 58.9%(CI: 54.9%-62.9%)of participants had poor reading practice of nutrition label on packed foods. Age 18-29 (AOR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.23, 3.80),Elementary education (AOR=1.29, 95% CI: 1.16-1.52),Being single (AOR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.33-2.00),
nohealth problem (AOR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.64), not working in food establishments (AOR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.06-11.0) and poornutritional knowledge(AOR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.24- 2.50)were factors associated withpoor reading practice of nutritional labels.
Conclusion: This study showed that c reading practice of nutritional labels in Bahir Dar city was lower compared with the previous studies in Addis Ababa. Therefore, the regional health bureau in collaboration with other stakeholders should work on enhancing nutrition education.
Keywords: Reading practice,nutritionlabelling, packagedfood, consumer