A questionnaire survey was conducted on female college students to examine how they check nutrition labels and use the information for adjusting their intake of four kinds of food: confectionery, soft drinks, milk products, and mayonnaise. The association between their label use and such characteristics as body image, nutrition knowledge, attitude toward nutrition labels was evaluated by a chi-square test, multinomial logistic regression analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. The subjects were classified into three groups: those who don't read nutrition labels, those who do read them, and those who read and act on them. These groups respectively constituted 24.8%, 28.5% and 46.7% of the total. The multinomial and multiple logistic regression analyses identified body image as the independent factor associated with the transition from non-readers to readers of nutrition labels, while knowledge of energy requirements, adequate energy composition for snacks, usefulness of labels, understanding the contents of labels, and ease of label use were important factors in the transition from readers to actors. It is suggested from the results that clarification of required dietary habits before learning basic nutritional knowledge and accepting the usefulness and ease of label use are needed before education in label use can be effective.
