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Using an eye-tracking methodology, we evaluated food nutrition labels' ability to support rapid and accurate visual search for nutrition information. Participants (5 practiced label readers and 5 nonreaders) viewed 180 trials of nutrition labels on a computer, finding answers to questions (e.g., serving size). Label manipulations included several alternative line arrangements, location of the question target item, and label size. Dependent measures included search time and number of fixations prior to visually capturing the target, as well as the accuracy and duration of the capturing fixation. Practiced label readers acquired the target more quickly and accurately than did less-practiced readers. Targets near the denser center of the label required 33% more time and were harder to find than targets at the top or bottom of the label. Thinner alignment lines were more influential than thicker anchoring lines on visual search time. Overall, the current nutrition label supported accurate and rapid search for desired information. Potential applications of the present methodology include the evaluation of warning labels and other static visual displays.
INTRODUCTION
Nutrition Facts Labels
Food nutrition labels were mandated on certain foods by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1973 and were then extended to nearly all packaged foods by the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (Public Law 101-535). A further modification (U.S. FDA, 1993) standardized the format in which nutrient information is presented and required the identification of recommended daily limits for many of these nutrients. Developed by consensus among consumers, manufacturers, and health professionals, the new label formats are more understandable than earlier formats (Food Marketing Institute, 1995).
The basic nutrition facts label format is shown in Figure 1, but flexibility in format is allowed to accommodate packaging space constraints or if certain nutrients normally required on the label are not found within a product. For example, vertical tabular layouts are typical, but other layouts are allowed if there are fewer than 40 square inches (258 cm^sup 2^) of available label space (Parcels & Brody, 1995). An abbreviated label format, eliminating the nutrient comparisons footnote between 2000- and 2500-calorie diets, is allowed when a product contains insignificant amounts of at least seven required nutrients (Parcels & Brody, 1995). Features such as 3- and 7-point ruled lines organize the...