Socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with nutrition-label reading among Saudi adults: insights from a theory of planned behavior approach

Nutrition labeling is widely used to help consumers make healthier food choices. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority introduced mandatory energy labeling in 2019; however, limited research has examined nutrition label use among Saudi adults following the policy’s implementation. This study examined nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to self-reported nutrition-label reading among Saudi adults. A cross-sectional online survey using convenience sampling was conducted among adults in Saudi Arabia between September and November 2020. Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of King Abdullah International Medical Research Center. Selected Arabic-adapted items from the Food Label Use Questionnaire were used. Chi-square tests examined associations between socio-demographic variables, attitudes toward nutrition labels, and label-reading frequency. Binary logistic regression examined factors associated with positive attitudes and frequent nutrition-label reading. A total of 396 adults were included in the analysis; 85.4% reported positive attitudes toward nutrition labeling, but only 42.6% frequently read nutrition labels. Female gender and married status were associated with more frequent label reading ( P < 0.05). Positive attitudes toward nutrition labels were associated with higher odds of frequent nutrition-label reading (OR = 3.70; 95% CI: 1.79–7.14; P < 0.001), while nutrition knowledge was associated with positive attitudes (OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.01–2.23; P = 0.045) but not with label-reading frequency. Positive attitudes toward nutrition labels were associated with more frequent nutrition-label reading among Saudi adults. Improving the perceived relevance and practical use of nutrition labels may support greater engagement with label reading in everyday food choices.