NEW YORK, Jan 26 — A global survey has found that more than half of consumers around the world have difficulty understanding nutrition labels, with food label confusion highest in the Chinese-speaking world and in Southeast Asia.

In an online survey of more than 25,000 respondents in 56 countries, market research firm Nielsen found that 59 per cent of consumers admitted they're unable to decipher the numbers and symbols found on nutritional panels. 

Meanwhile, nearly half of respondents also said they're trying to lose weight, and 78 per cent of them said they're trying to lose weight through dietary changes.

It's a gap that begs for more clarity from food manufacturers, Nielsen says, given that healthy eating is top of mind for consumers around the world.

Where confidence was highest in understanding food labels was North America, where 58 per cent of Americans said they "mostly" understand the information, compared to 49 per cent of Canadians.

While the Chinese-speaking world admitted to being the most confused, understanding was higher in the rest of Asia Pacific in countries like India, Australia and New Zealand.

Overall, less than one-third, or 31 per cent, of respondents in the Asia Pacific region said they understand food labels.

Meanwhile, though European respondents were mostly split, certain countries showed greater understanding than others.

Portuguese consumers, for example, emerged as the most confident in the entire global survey, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they know what they're eating, while French consumers seem to be the most confused: only 31 per cent said they completely understand what they're reading.

Respondents around the world also expressed scepticism about the accuracy and credibility of health claims on food packaging, such as "low-fat" and "all natural."

Overall, consumers in Latin America were the most trusting, as 22 per cent of respondents said that health claims were always accurate, compared to a global average of 19 per cent.

Meanwhile, a survey published last fall in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that placing food labels in the centre of packages could help sustain a consumer's attention compared to placing them on the periphery.

The US study also found that consumers think they're looking at nutritional labels more than they actually do, after measuring self-reported statistics against an eye-tracking device.

Moreover, the average consumer stops reading after the first five lines on the nutritional facts label. — AFP-Relaxnews