Public Perception Survey of Nutrition Labeling in Hong Kong

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The University of Hong KongPublic Opinion Programme

Karie Pang

HKU POP Assistant Director

10 February 2011

Survey objectives: to understand the public’s habit of reading nutrition label; and awareness of energy needs and nutritional information.

HKU POP designed the survey questionnaire independently after consultation with Coca-Cola China Ltd. All operation, data collection and analysis are conducted by POP independently. POP is solely responsible for the survey results.

The survey method and results will be available for the public to review.

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SURVEY BACKGROUND

CONTACT INFORMATION

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Survey Period 4-8 January 2011

Methodology Telephone survey with interviewers working under close supervision

Survey Target Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong citizens of age 12-49

Survey Institute Public Opinion Programme at the University of Hong Kong

Sample Size 511 successful cases

Effective Response Rate

74.6% (Calculation based on the number of qualified targets)

Sampling Error Less than 2.2 percentage points. In other words, the sampling error for all percentages was less than plus/minus 4.5percentage points at 95% confidence level.

SURVEY RESULTS

About 90% of respondents do not routinely read the back-of-pack nutrition label when they buy food or beverages

5(Base=511)Q1Do you normally read the nutrition label on the package when you buy food or beverages?

Always12%

Often25%

Sometimes26%

Seldom17%

Never18%

Read the nutrition label when buying food or beverages for the first time

1%

Don't know/ difficult to tell

<1%

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Respondents who seldom or never read the label mainly feel it is not necessary to do so, or they are not used to doing so

(Base=183)Q4 (Only ask respondents who answered seldom or never in Q1) Why do you not read nutrition label? [Interviewers do not provide answer, respondents can choose more than one answer]

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Don't know/ difficult to tell

Others

Don't know where it is

Too small, can't read it

Don't have time

Don't know how to read it

Not used to reading the label

Not necessary to read (including those think it is not necessary, especially for food and beverages consumed for some time)

2%

7%

1%

4%

7%

8%

37%

44%

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Sugar, carbohydrates and sodium are most commonly identified as being listed on a nutrition label

(Base=511) Q2 Please try to name the nutrition information included in the nutrition label on product package. [Interviewers do not provide answer, respondents can choose more than one answer] (Top 10 responses)

“1+7”nutrition label

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Trans fat, sugar, energy nutritional information and sodium named as most important to consumers

(Base=280)Q3 (Only ask respondents who answered always, often, sometimes and read the nutrition label when they buy a food or beverage product for the first time in Q1) Which three nutrition information do you think are most important to yourself? Please rank according to their importance.

Total

45%

45%

41%

41%

34%

30%

25%

21%

14%

2%

1%

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SUMMARY(1)

About 90% of respondents do not routinely read the back-of-pack nutrition label when they buy food or beverages. Respondents lack awareness of what constitutes nutrition information.

Respondents in the habit of reading a nutrition label still cannot accurately name all components of the back-of-pack nutrition label.

Respondents who seldom or never read the label mainly feel it is not necessary to do so, or they are not used to doing so, especially for food and beverages consumed for some time.

10(Base=501)Q5 Per 100g/100mL serving size, please rank the following items according to their energy level, from the highest to the lowest, 1 as the highest energy level as 6 as the lowest energy level: pineapple bun, egg tart, curry fish ball, Hong Kong style iced lemon tea, Hong Kong style iced milk tea and soft drinks. [Interviewers read out all of the answers, computerized sequence]

(Energy per 100mL ： 48Kcal)

(Energy per 100mL ：310Kcal)

(Energy per 100mL ：130Kcal)

(Energy per 100mL ： 44Kcal)

(Energy per 100mL ：350Kcal)

(Energy per 100mL ： 41Kcal)

No respondent can accurately rank the following six popular food and beverages in Hong Kong according to their energy levels

11(Base=511)Q6 Do you know your daily energy needs? [If respondents answered yes] How much calories do you think you need daily? (Kcal)

Half of respondents do not know their daily energy needs

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Don't know

3,100 or above

3,000

2,100-2,900

2,000

1,100-1,900

1,000

100-900

50%

2%

3%

3%

11%

16%

6%

8% Average: 1,700 Kcal

SD ： 80 Kcal

Mode ： 2,000 Kcal

(Base=255)

12(Base=511)Q6 Do you know your daily energy needs? [If respondents answered yes] How much calories do you think you need daily? (Kcal)

Among those believing they know their energy needs, only 20% can correctly stated their daily energy needs

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Don't know

3,100 or above

3,000

2,100-2,900

2,000

1,100-1,900

1,000

100-900

50%

2%

3%

3%

11%

16%

6%

8% Average: 1,700 Kcal

SD ： 80 Kcal

Mode ： 2,000 Kcal

(Base=255)

13(Base=511)Q7 Do you consider your daily energy needs before eating or drinking normally?

55% of respondents never consider their daily energy needs before eating

Always4%

Often11%

Sometimes14%

Seldom15%

Never55%

Don't know/difficult

to tell1%

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SUMMARY(2)

No respondent can accurately rank the following six popular food and beverages in Hong Kong according to their energy levels.

Half of respondents do not know their daily energy needs. Among those believing they know their energy needs, only 20% of them correctly state their daily energy needs.

15(Base=510)Q8 How many times do you do 20 minutes or more aerobic exercise per week in average ? For example, running, playing tennis or swimming.

30% of respondents do at least 20 minutes aerobic exercise three times or more per week

5-7 times per week14%

3-4 times per week16%

1-2 times per week37%

2-3 times per month

3%

less than one time per month

5%

Never exercise24%

Don't know/ difficult to tell

1%

16(Base=511)Q9 If you have to control your weight or to loose some weight, do you think diet control or exercise are more important?

Only less than 30% of respondents agree that diet control and exercise are equally important for weight management

Diet control is important than

exercise31%

Diet control and exercise are equally

important26%

Exercise is important than diet

control42%

Don't know/ difficult to tell

<1%

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Perceptions: balanced diet and burning calories

(Base=510) [Q10-Q11] Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?•Balanced diet means no ice-cream, chocolates, sweets and soft drinks.•It is difficult to burn calories.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

It is difficult to burn calories.

Balanced diet means no ice-cream, chocolates, sweets and soft drinks.

17%

20%

26%

25%

10%

6%

32%

38%

13%

11% 1%

1%

Agree Somewhat agree Half half

Somewhat disagree Disagree Don't know/ difficult to tell

Agree：43% Disagree：46%

Agree ： 44% Disagree ： 49%

The older the age groups had more respondents agreed with the following two statements

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SUMMARY(3)

30% of respondents do at least 20 minutes aerobic exercise three times or more per week. A quarter said they do not have the habit of doing exercise.

Only a quarter of respondents agree that diet control and exercise are equally important for weight management. Respondents misunderstand the basis of weight management and balanced diet.

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Internet is the most common channel to find accurate nutritional information

(Base=510) Q12 Where or by which channel do you normally go to for accurate nutritional information if need? [Interviewers do not provide answer, respondents can choose more than one answer] (First eight items)

20(Base=508)Q13 Do you know where you can find a qualified dietitian?

Over 40% of respondents said they know where to find a qualified dietitian; mainly via hospitals/ clinics

Yes, I know43%

No, I don't know57% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Don't know/ difficult …

Others

Television

Family/ friends

Community Centre

Large-scale phamacy

Slimming institue/ …

Internet

Private clinics

Public/ private …

2%

5%

1%

1%

3%

6%

9%

16%

30%

62%

(Base=219 ， respondents can choose more than one answer)Q14 (Only ask respondents who answer “Yes” in Q13) Where you can find a qualified dietitian? [ Interviewers do not provide answer, respondents can choose more than one answer]

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The End!