The Effect of Food Label Use on Nutrient Intakes: An Endogenous Switching Regression Analysis

Abstract

This study examines the impact of consumers' use of food labels on selected nutrient intakes of Americans. Endogenous switching regression techniques are employed to control for heterogeneity in the label use decision. When the nutrient intakes of label users and the expected nutrient intakes of label users in the absence of labels are compared, food label use decreases individuals' average daily intakes of calories from total fat and saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium by 6.90%, 2.10%, 67.60 milligrams, and 29.58 milligrams, respectively. In addition, consumer nutrition label use increases average daily fiber intake by 7.51 grains.

Keywords

• endogenous switching regression
• food labels
• nutrient intakes