| Abstract | Use of nutrition labels is associated with better diet quality. The factors that determine use of food labels have not been well identified, however, especially in college students. This study determined predictors of food label use among TCU students by recruiting 263 TCU students ages 18 through 30. Subjects completed questionnaires on food label knowledge, nutrition knowledge, attitude towards food labels, and food label use. Stepwise multiple liner regression analysis revealed that sex, regular exercise, food label attitude, food label knowledge, and nutrition knowledge were significant (p < 0.02) predictors of food label use (F (5, 255) = 14.2; p < 0.0001; r2 = 0.22). We found that being female or exercising regularly was related to more food label use than being male or sedentary, respectively. Furthermore, butter food label attitude, food label knowledge, and nutrition knowledge were related to increased food label use. In conclusion, female gender, exercising regularly, and better food label attitude, food label knowledge, and nutrition knowledge were related to more food label use. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effect of nutrition and food label education in college students on food label use. |
