The Provision of Trans Fat Information and Its Interaction with Consumer Knowledge

The first significant change to the Nutrition Facts panel since its inception is the addition of trans fat information. This research examines whether this modification may have a significant effect on consumers' disease risk perceptions and on the perceived importance of trans fat information. The results of an experiment that varied exposure to induced trans fat knowledge, trans fat levels, and Nutrition Facts Panel formats indicate that without consumer education efforts that enhance consumers' knowledge and understanding of trans fat, effects of the new labeling regulations on consumers may be limited. TRANS FAT AND THE AMERICAN DIET An estimated 13 million Americans have coronary heart disease (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2002). Sixty-five million currently suffer from high blood pressure, and approximately 700,000 will be struck by a stroke this year (NHANES 2002). These people will face restricted lifestyles and increased health care costs and will place additional burdens on friends and family. Researchers have identified certain dietary choices as contributors to the development of cardiovascular disease; among these are foods containing trans-fatty acids, or trans fat (Kris-Etherton 1995; Kromhout et al. 1996). Specifically, trans fat is formed from liquid (hydrogenated) oils that are transformed into solid fats such as shortening or hard margarine (Food and Drug Administration [FDA] 2003b). The danger from trans fat arises from its artery-clogging properties and its link to increased levels of low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol (Mensink and Katan 1990). Trans fat is found in many of the foods containing saturated fat including crackers, snack foods, fried foods, many fast foods, and a number of other products made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Trans fat has become the focus of regulators and nutrition advocates due to the potential long-term adverse health effects associated with its consumption (Center for Science in the Public Interest [CSPI] 2004; FDA 2003a, 2003b). Prior research has attributed as many as 30,000 premature coronary heart disease deaths to the consumption of trans-fatty acids (Ascherio et al. 1994). Consumer groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest have called for food manufacturers and restaurants to eliminate trans fat from their food products, and lawsuits pertaining to both the production and disclosure of trans fat content have been initiated (CSPI 2004). For example, in 2003 the organization BanTransFats.com brought suit against Kraft Foods, requesting that the company cease and desist from marketing and selling Oreo cookies to children in California until that product contained no trans fat (BanTransFats.com 2005). The plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit after Kraft agreed to stop all in-school marketing and introduce a line of Oreos that is trans fat free. BanTransFats.com also filed suit against McDonald's; they alleged that McDonald's did not inform the public that the change to lower-fat oils announced in 2002 had not been completed by February 2003 and thus customers unknowingly consumed products that still contained potentially high levels of trans fat. The case was settled after McDonald's agreed to donate $7 million to the American Heart Association and spend $1.5 million on a campaign to inform the public of its trans fat initiatives (Trans Fatty Acids Settlement Information Website 2005). These cases highlight how important consumer health advocates believe it is to inform the public about the dangers of trans fat consumption. Concerns about trans fat have led to the first significant addition to the Nutrition Facts panel since its inception, which comes after an extensive rulemaking and comment period conducted by the FDA. Effective January 1, 2006, the trans fat content of all packaged food products became listed in grams per serving on the Nutrition Facts panel (FDA 2003a). …