How international students interact with the UK's front-of-pack nutrition labels in comparison to British/EU students

Aims and objectives: This study aims to investigate the use and comprehension of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels among University of Chester students, specifically comparing international students and British/EU students. This study explicitly excludes factors affecting food choices as well as reasons for similarities and differences between UK and US studies. Research questions: 1. Do international and British/EU students use the FOP labels differently? 2. Does the comprehension of the FOP labelling differ between international students and those from the UK/EU? Design: A cross-sectional primary quantitative study. Method: Over a period of five days, random students present in different parts of the university’s open areas were approached in person. Qualified participants were asked to complete a self-administered survey that included a coloured printout of the survey questionnaire, which contained a slightly modified 22-item survey instrument previously used in studies examining the use of nutrition labels and the understanding of FOP labels. No guidance was provided during the process to minimize researcher influence. Data from 233 participants were collected; however, only 216 responses were included in the study, as 17 participants either submitted incomplete surveys or misunderstood the final research question regarding reference intakes. Instead of selecting one answer, as instructed in the questionnaire, these participants wrote down percentages. The data collection method used was changed from using an online questionnaire in 2020 to a self-completed questionnaire in 2024 due to the low response rate from students and the inability to distinguish between international and British/EU students’ responses. Setting: University of Chester’s four campuses (Parkgate Road Campus, Riverside Campus, Kingsway Campus, and Queen’s Park Campus). Eligible participants were approached randomly in libraries, lecture halls, lobbies, and cafeterias. Response rates were not recorded for each campus. Data collection took place over a few days during a short visit to Chester in 2024; therefore, not all campuses belonging to the University of Chester were visited. Results: British/EU students used FOP labels differently from international students. First, British/EU students read the traffic light FOP labels significantly more than international students (P = .03). Second, the influence of FOP labels on British/EU students' food purchases was significantly greater than that of international students (P =.001). This study also identified disparities between British/EU students and international students in several categories relating to their comprehension of FOP labels. First, British/EU students’ understanding of ‘portion size’ and ‘reference intake’ was significantly higher than that of international students (P =.000 for both). Similarly, British/EU students’ understanding of government guidance was significantly better than that of international students. A higher number of British/EU students agreed that they did not need to avoid all foods with red labels, but that eating fewer reds can help achieve a healthier diet (P =.07), and the majority of them disagreed with the statement that mentioned that they should aim to eat items with only green traffic lights (P =.004) and the other statement that mentioned that products with red traffic lights should always be avoided (P =.000). Although these findings were expected, they highlight the need for FOP nutritional educational programmes targeting international students. Being exposed to FOP labels earlier in life, through shopping experiences, educational campaigns, and TV programs, gave British/EU students an advantage over international students. Conclusion: International students’ use and comprehension of FOP nutrition labels is not as good as that of British/EU students. Therefore, updating the welcoming guidebooks, which are small brochures given to new international students coming to the UK to find key information to help them navigate their university journey, to include information about the traffic light FOP nutrition labels would be helpful to raise awareness among the international students.

Citation

Al-Basri, R. S. (2024). How international students interact with the UK's front-of-pack nutrition labels in comparison to British/EU students [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. University of Chester.

Publisher

University of Chester

URI

https://chesterrep.openrepository.com/handle/10034/629964

Type

Thesis or dissertation