Food labelling: information sources or ambiguity for consumers?

In the present context of increasing incidence of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and other diseases that nutrition contributes to, both in preventing and managing them, it is important to consider educating the population and bring awareness on the risks they are subjected to through improper eating, as well as of the correlation between disease/health and nutrition. According to the results of the present study, food labels are not routinely used when choosing food products by inhabitants of Bucharest city. Although the reasons behind this are varied, the ones worth taking into consideration and that should present importance for the parties involved in the public health sector are the ones relating to the misunderstanding of the information on the labels, the lack of habituality to engage in this, or the inaccurate printing of the labels. Even if the frequency of reading the labels is reduced, the responses of the participants suggest that there is, yet, a level of interest concerning the quality and composition of the food consumed and healthy eating, as well as a willingness to receiving more information regarding the interpretation and understanding of food labels. Consequently, it is necessary to implement campaigns and awareness strategies for the population with regard to the basics of healthy eating and ways of understanding how to make these choices.