Survey: Americans seek simpler solutions to interpreting the nutrition facts panel, identifying healthy foods

SCARBOROUGH, Maine A new survey from Guiding Stars, the world’s first storewide nutrition navigation system, found that two-thirds (67%) of Americans are only somewhat confident, at best, they can select healthy foods from the Nutrition Facts Panel.

While nutrition is top-of-mind for many Americans, many are not using the Nutrition Facts Panel to its full potential. In fact, the survey found that 74% of people find the Nutrition Facts Panel to be either “exhausting to read” (28%), “difficult to understand” (24%), “not helpful” (11%) or “something to ignore” (11%). While the Nutrition Facts Panel is essential to help shoppers identify the nutrients in packaged foods, many Americans seek easier-to-use tools that can help them quickly identify nutritious options.

According to the survey, 1-in-4 Americans would prefer a good-better-best rating of nutritional value, in their supermarket. Guiding Stars’ nutrition navigation system rates each food item with zero-to-three stars based on the nutrition value obtained from the Nutrition Facts Panel. It eliminates the need to compare every food item in the store, serving as a simple, easy-to-understand tool to help shoppers quickly identify more nutritious foods as they shop, the company said.

The system credits all edible foods based on the presence of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and whole grains, and debits for the presence of trans fat, saturated fats, cholesterol, added sugars and added sodium. Food items are then awarded zero, one, two or three stars ¬ one star means good nutritional value; two stars, better nutritional value; and three stars, the best nutritional value.

“Our research shows that there’s a need in the marketplace for a simpler solution to help identify healthier food choices,” said John Eldredge, director of brand and business development at Guiding Stars Licensing Co. “Guiding Stars offers this solution by interpreting the Nutrition Facts Panel to help shoppers more easily identify foods that offer the most nutrition for the calories, and make it easier than ever to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

The Guiding Stars system was first implemented in select grocery stores in September 2006. The Guiding Stars program is now on shelf tags and signage in grocery stores throughout the East Coast and recently launched the first nutrition navigation system in a public school and college.

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