ความสามารถในการใช้ฉลากโภชนาการของผู้บริโภคในจังหวัดพัทลุง

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the abilities to use nutrition labels among consumers at Phatthalung Province. The data were collected from 4 groups of subjects including 161 diabetes/hypertension patients, 122 third year vocational students, 215 students in grade 12 students and 165 housewives. The questionnaire by Peampan Nukeaw (2005) was employed to assess the abilities to use nutrition labels. Grade 12 students (85.6%) were able to identify the nutrition label from 4 types of labels shown in the questionnaires more than the other groups, while only forty point four percent of diabetes/hypertension patients were able to do so. Grade 12 students (85.6%) and vocational students (82.0%) knew the implication of the labels more than the other groups, while diabetes/hypertension patients and housewives both groups knew only about 57%. More than 80% of vocational students and grade 12 students knew which product must show nutrition label, while Diabetes /hypertension patients and housewife knew only 75.8 and 72.1 % respectively. Grade 12 students showed a satisfactory score on basic knowledge on nutrition label (2.82 points out of 4). However, diabetes/hypertension patients and housewife showed inadequate levels on theses knowledge with the score of 2.061.29 and 2.13±1.30. Grade 12 student showed a satisfactory score on nutrition knowledge (3.15+1.29, while diabetes/hypertension patients was at the moderate levels with means of 2.47 (out of 4 point). Vocational and grade 12 students showed satisfy score on ability of search information on labels (3.37 and 3.36 point out of 4). However housewives showed an inadequate levels on these with score of 2.18±1.52. Diabetes/hypertension patients showed moderate levels on these with score of 2.45±1.45. The ability to use information on the label for calculation of nutrition need for grade 12 students are at moderate levels (1.24±0.76), while housewife diabetes/hypertension patients and third year vocational students were at the low levels with means of 0.64±0.76, 0.99±0.67 and 1.09 ±0.81 respectively. Housewives showed inadequate in product selection for patient with chronic disease and the skill to compare nutrition among brands (1.12±1.00 and 1.48±1.12 (out of 3 point)). Age showed significant negative relationship with all six abilities in the study (P<0.05) except only ability to calculate nutrition need and ability to select product for use in patient with chronic disease. Female was different from male only on ability to search information which female exhibited better skill (P<0.05). The strongest predictors of nutrition knowledge were education (grade 7-12 or vocational certificate) (B-0.550) followed by education (higher vocational certificate and higher levels) (B-0.411). The strongest predictors of basic knowledge on nutrition label were nutrition knowledge (B-0.421) follow by education (grade 7-12 or vocational certificate and higher vocational certificate and higher levels) (B-0.169 and ẞ-0.130) and age (B=-0.125). The strongest predictors of ability on information searching were nutrition knowledge (B= 0.315), basic knowledge on nutrition label (B-0.270) grade 7-12 or vocational certificate (B-0.135) and gender (B=-0.069). Factors affecting the ability to calculate nutrition need were information searching (B-0.326) nutrition knowledge (B-0.254), basic nutrition knowledge (B-0.135) and age (ẞ-- 0.154). Ability to search information (B-0.420), nutrition knowledge (B-0.203) age (B=-0.146) and basic nutrition knowledge (B-0.116) affected the skill to compare nutrition among brands. Ability to search information (B-0.287), nutrition knowledge (B=0.157), basic nutrition knowledge (B-0.155) and age (B-0.139) affected influenced ability to select product for use in patients with chronic diseases. In conclusion, chronic disease groups and housewives showed inadequate levels on the abilities to use nutrition label. Therefore these groups should be target of educational effort by the concerned institute. The basic knowledge on the nutrition levels were factors affecting the other abilities such as the ability for nutrition calculation, the skill to compare nutrition among brands and produce selection for patients with chronic diseases. The basic knowledge on nutrition label should be included in the formal lesson of primary or secondary school.