Regional differences in portion size consumption behaviour: Insights for the global food industry

Abstract: Given the influence of globalization on consumer food behaviour across the world, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical discourse around food portion size as a global consumption-related symbol and its underlying socio-economic drivers for food industry strategy. Overall, 25,000 global food consumers were surveyed across 24 countries to elicit insight on portion size consumption behaviour as well as consumer perception on eating and drinking small portion size within selected socio-economic classes. The data was quantitatively analysed to answer the pertinent research objectives. In 20 out of the 24 global markets surveyed, large food portion size was statistically established as a prevalent consumption-related symbol. The paper found that there are regional differences in portion size food consumption behaviour, and further disparities exist across age, gender and income status in 24 countries covering all regions, including Australia, China, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America. The outlined food industry implications reveal that adaptation and standardisation strategies are still relevant in global food and nutrition strategy as revealed by the variations in the preference for food portion sizes across various countries of the world

Consuming a diet complying with front-of-pack label criteria may reduce cholesterol levels: a modeling study.

Background/Objectives:Front-of-pack nutrition labels can help consumers to make healthier choices and stimulate healthier product development. This is the first modeling study to investigate the potential impact on cholesterol levels of consuming a diet consisting of products that comply with the criteria for a healthier choice logo.Subjects/Methods:National food consumption and food composition data were used to estimate the nutrient intake of the Dutch adult population (18-70 years) before and after replacing foods that did not comply with the Choices front-of-pack label criteria. Different scenarios were established. The difference in cholesterol levels in the Dutch population was assessed before and after replacement by means of equations from meta-analyses that calculate how blood lipids change when diet composition changes.Results:After replacing non-complying products with products, which comply with the label's criteria (maximum scenario), saturated fatty acids median intake reduced from 14.5 to 9.8 en%. Trans-fatty acids reduced from 0.95 to 0.57 en%. The average predicted changes in low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels were 0.25 and 0.31 mmol/l, respectively. Because high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels reduced as well (0.05 mmol/l), overall, the result was a slightly positive change in the total cholesterol/HDL ratio (0.03).Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the consumption of foods complying with the criteria for a front-of-pack label could contribute moderately to cardiovascular risk reduction via influencing blood lipids. These findings were independent of other potential effects on related health outcomes. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Cost-effectiveness of fiscal policies to prevent obesity

Cost-effective, sustainable strategies are urgently required to curb the global obesity epidemic. To date, fiscal policies such as taxes and subsidies have been driven largely by imperatives to raise revenue or increase supply, rather than to change population behaviours. This paper reviews the economic evaluation literature around the use of fiscal policies to prevent obesity. The cost-effectiveness literature is limited, and more robust economic evaluation studies are required. However, uncertainty and gaps in the effectiveness evidence base need to be addressed first: more studies are needed that collect ‘real-world’ empirical data, and larger studies with more robust designs and longer follow-up timeframes are required. Reliability of cross-price elasticity data needs to be investigated, and greater consideration given to moderators of intervention effects and the sustainability of outcomes. Economic evaluations should adopt a societal perspective, incorporate a broader spectrum of economic costs and consider other factors likely to affect the implementation of fiscal measures. The paucity of recent cost-effectiveness studies means that definitive conclusions about the value for money of fiscal policies for obesity prevention cannot yet be drawn. However, as in other public health areas such as alcohol and tobacco, early indications are that population-level fiscal policies are likely to be potentially effective and cost-saving