Food Labels Poll Method

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