Glance at AP-Ipsos Poll on Food Labeling

Demographics and details about the AP-Ipsos poll on attitudes about food labeling. The results are taken from a poll of 1,003 adults conducted May 30 to June 1 by Ipsos, an international polling firm. The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

OVERALL: Six in 10 of those polled said they check food labels frequently. They are most likely to check for fats and calories. Eight in 10 said they find food labeling easy to understand. Three-fourths said they put a lot of importance on what they see on food labels. But almost one-half of those surveyed said they buy foods that are bad for them, even after they read the nutrition label.

GENDER: Women are more likely than men when it comes to frequently checking food labels _ 65 percent for women, 51 percent of men. Women are more likely to put a great deal or quite a bit of importance on nutrition content (82 percent of women, 64 percent of men) and to pay attention to nutrition labels when buying foods that they know are bad for them (73 percent of women, 65 percent of men). Also, 76 percent of married men are more likely to check food labels frequently or occasionally than unmarried men (65 percent).

EDUCATION: Those with higher education levels tend to be more label and health-conscious in general than those with less education. For instance, they are more likely to check nutrition labels frequently (68 percent for college graduates compared with 52 percent of those with a high school education or less). Those with more education are more likely to look at calories when looking at the nutrition labeling on packaged food; think nutrition labels on packaged food are easy to understand; place a great deal or quite a bit of importance on nutrition content; check the labels; not trust the labels on the front that say low fat or reduced fat; buy foods bad for them less often; and pay attention to labels even on foods that are bad for them.

People with a college degree were more likely than those with a high school education or less to place a lot of importance on nutrition content _ 41 percent to 28 percent.

AGE: Younger adults are more likely to look for calorie content on nutrition labeling and find labels easy to understand. They tend to put little or no importance on nutrition content, buy foods that are bad for them more often and avoid checking the labels of that food which is bad for them. Sixty percent in the age group 18 to 29 and 55 percent in the 30 to 39 range were more likely than those 50 and over to buy foods that are bad for them, even after checking the nutrition labels. People 18 to 29 are more likely to believe what it says on the front of a package than other age groups.

INCOME: Adults who make more than $75,000 a year are more likely to check the nutrition label instead of trusting what it says on the front of the package than those who make $50,000 or less _ 78 percent versus 67 percent. Those who make $25,000 or less were more likely to purchase foods that are bad for them even after checking nutrition levels than those who make $75,000 or more _ 55 percent to 41 percent.

___

AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.