15 Original Research: The relationship between health awareness, lifestyle behaviour and food label usage 2012;25(1) S Afr J Clin Nutr Kempen EL, BSc Consumer Science, Hons, Consumer Science, M Consumer Science, PhD. Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa Muller H, BSc, Hons BSc(Mathematical Statistics), DipDataMetrics, HED. Research Directorate, University of South Africa Symington E, BSc Dietetics, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa Van Eeden T, BSc Dietetics, MSc, DPhil, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa Correspondence to: Elizabeth Kempen, e-mail: kempeel@unisa.ac.za Keywords: health awareness, lifestyle, food labels, South Africa, consumers A study of the relationship between health awareness, lifestyle behaviour and food label usage in Gauteng Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates that consumers should adopt healthier lifestyle behaviour, and has put international strategies in place that promote healthier eating patterns, in support of a healthier lifestyle. 1,2 In March 2010, South Africa published the first phase of its new food-labelling legislation to reinforce this. The legislation intends to create better health awareness, and subsequent improved lifestyle behaviour among South African consumers. 3,4 A healthy lifestyle is defined as “orientation toward the prevention of health problems, and the maximisation of personal well-being”. 5 USA consumers, who followed a healthy lifestyle, were found to average a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, were largely female, had a higher level of education, and were predominantly older than consumers who adhered to an unhealthy lifestyle. 6 Most of these indicators contribute towards Kraft and Goodell’s idea of “wellness-orientated” consumers who accept responsibility for their own health through their daily lifestyle practices, including food- purchasing choices. 7,8 Unhealthy food choices have been blamed partially for the worldwide increase in obesity. 9 The Medical Research Council’s technical report on chronic diseases of lifestyle in South Africa, conducted between 1995-2005, indicated that there was a high prevalence of obesity in South Africa, with nearly 56% of women, and 29% of men, being either overweight, or obese. 10 These figures suggest that if healthy food choices and improved lifestyle behaviour are not promoted at an early age, obesity will become an even greater concern in the future. International food companies, blamed for the unhealthy food choices that consumers make, are being forced to address better nutrition by developing healthy product lines to improve the quality of food offered to consumers. 11 12 Food labelling in South Africa also has a purpose to inform and indirectly assist the consumer in making healthier food choices Abstract Background: The objectives of the study were to determine whether consumers who read food labels, were also more aware of health and lifestyle issues, in terms of nutrition and other health-related lifestyle behaviours, and whether there was a relationship between food-label reading, health awareness and lifestyle behaviour. A quantitative descriptive (survey) design was selected to investigate the relationship between food-label reading on the one hand, and health awareness and lifestyle behavior on the other. Method: A two-stage, stratified-proportionate and systematic sampling strategy was applied to select a sample of 357 Gauteng respondents to complete a telephonic questionnaire. Respondents who were most likely to read food label information were selected. Food label information is prescribed by comprehensive label legislation. Data report on respondents’ label-reading habits, attitudes towards health awareness, lifestyle behaviour and biographic data. Nonparametric analysis, scale reliability tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni multiple comparisons of means tests were used to analyse the results. Results: Results indicate that the two-thirds of respondents who, to some extent read nutritional information on food labels, were concerned about their personal health, were interested in health-related information, and followed a healthy lifestyle, such as regularly eating fresh fruit and vegetables, cutting back on alcohol, and other positive lifestyle behaviours. They were unsure about how their own knowledge of nutrition, and their understanding of nutrition information on food labels, compared with that of other consumers. Conclusion: A relationship was found between patterns of reading food labels, health awareness and lifestyle behaviour. People who often read food labels were more health-conscious, and maintained a healthier lifestyle. Peer reviewed. (Submitted: 2011-04-09. Accepted: 2012-01-01.) © SAJCN S Afr J Clin Nutr 2012;25(1):15-21