Cross-sectional survey reveals moderate food processing knowledge linked to front-of-pack label comprehension in Australian adults, highlighting significant sociodemographic disparities.
Key Points
To examine consumer knowledge of food processing in relation to food healthiness, assess self-reported understanding of the Health Star Rating system, and determine their association across sociodemographic groups.
Surveyed 3,760 Australian adults through an online questionnaire as part of the 2021 International Food Policy Study.
Calculated Food Processing Knowledge (FoodProK) scores across four categories (grains, meat, dairy, fish) based on alignment between healthiness ratings and processing degree.
Assessed self-reported ease of understanding the Health Star Rating (HSR) system and analyzed relationships using multivariable regression.
Respondents demonstrated a mean FoodProK score of 4.8 out of 8 points, and 63% reported finding the HSR label easy or very easy to understand.
FoodProK was positively associated with HSR understanding, higher self-reported nutrition knowledge, and income adequacy.
Sociodemographic disparities were evident: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents reported lower FoodProK and HSR comprehension, while adults aged 60 and older had higher FoodProK but lower HSR understanding.