The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on public attitudes about food labeling is based on telephone interviews with 1,003 adults in the United States from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The interviews were conducted May 30 to June 1 by Ipsos, an international polling firm.
Results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region, race and income.
No more than one time in 20 should chance variations in the sample cause the results to vary by more than 3 percentage points from the answers that would be obtained if all Americans were polled.
There are other sources of potential error in polls, including the wording and order of questions. Results may not total 100 percent because of rounding.
1. When purchasing packaged food, how often do you check the nutrition labeling on the package?
_Frequently, 58 percent
_Occasionally, 20 percent
_Rarely, 9 percent
_Never, 13 percent
TOTAL FREQUENTLY/OCCASIONALLY _ 79 percent
TOTAL RARELY/NEVER _ 21 percent
(QUESTION 2 ASKED OF THOSE WHO SAID THEY CHECK NUTRITION LABELING ON PACKAGES)
2. What is the first thing you look for when you look at the nutrition labeling on packaged food?
_Fat/non-fat/low fat/saturated fat/trans fat, 26 percent
_Calories, 25 percent
_Sugars, 10 percent
_Sodium, 8 percent
_Total carbohydrate, 6 percent
_Ingredients, 5 percent
_Cholesterol, 3 percent
_Vitamin content, 2 percent
_Dietary fiber, 1 percent
_Protein, 1 percent
_Other, 6 percent
_None, 4 percent
_Not sure, 1 percent
(ASKED OF ALL)
3. In general, are the nutrition labels on packaged food easy or hard to understand? Is that very (easy/hard) or somewhat (easy/hard)?
_Very easy, 44 percent
_Somewhat easy, 37 percent
_Somewhat hard, 13 percent
_Very hard, 4 percent
_Not sure, 2 percent
TOTAL EASY _ 81 percent
TOTAL HARD _ 17 percent
4. In general, how much importance do you place on nutrition content when deciding which packaged foods to buy?
_A great deal of importance, 35 percent
_Quite a bit, 38 percent
_Not much, 18 percent
_No importance at all, 8 percent
_Not sure, 1 percent
TOTAL GREAT DEAL/QUITE A BIT _ 73 percent
TOTAL NOT MUCH/NO IMPORTANCE _ 26 percent
5. When the front of a package says "low fat" or "reduced fat", do you usually trust what it says on the front of the package or do you check the nutrition label?
_Check the nutrition label, 73 percent
_Believe what it says on the front of the package, 23 percent
_Not sure, 4 percent
6. How often do you purchase foods that are bad for you, even after youve checked the nutrition labels?
_Very often, 11 percent
_Somewhat often, 33 percent
_Not too often, 44 percent
_Never, 12 percent
TOTAL VERY/SOMEWHAT OFTEN _ 44 percent
TOTAL NOT TOO OFTEN/NEVER _ 56 percent
7. What best describes you? When I buy foods that I know are bad for me ...
_I still pay attention to the nutrition labels and try to factor those foods into a balanced diet, 69 percent
_I avoid looking at the nutrition labels because I'd rather not know, 26 percent
_Not sure, 5 percent
