Aims: Interpretive front-of-package nutrition labelling can contribute to healthier food habits. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of interpretive front-of-package nutrition labelling schemes on consumers’ food choices, namely at the moment of food purchase, and to analyse if this potential front-of-package nutrition labelling's effect varies according to different socioeconomic groups. Methods: Electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) search was performed to identify peer-reviewed articles describing longitudinal studies evaluating the effect of front-of-package nutrition labelling schemes on consumers’ food choices, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-Equity 2012 Extension guidelines. No publication-period or language restrictions were applied. PROGRESS-Plus framework was used to report if and how socioeconomic factors were considered in analyses of front-of-package nutrition labelling-related interventions’ effect. Results: Nine studies were selected for narrative synthesis (seven randomized controlled trials and two cross-over trials). When compared with no-interpretive-label conditions, front-of-package nutrition labelling showed a positive impact for nutritional content understanding, healthiness perception of products, selection of products with better nutritional quality, and purchase intention. However, there is no robust evidence of superiority of a specific front-of-package nutrition labelling scheme's effect, neither on consumers’ understanding of nutritional content nor on food choices. An evaluation of the studies following the PROGRESS-Plus framework revealed that socioecononomic status and education were the most frequently used dimensions, when assessing the effect of interpretative front-of-pack nutrition labels. More evidence is necessary to determine the role of front-of-pack nutrition labels in decreasing inequalities between different population subgroups, namely among the most vulnerable subgroups, on the promotion of healthy food choices. Conclusion: Well controlled longitudinal studies, following a real-world evidence approach, are needed to clarify front-of-package nutrition labelling's impact on consumers’ food choices, namely at purchase points, taking into account the most vulnerable population subgroups, such as those with lower literacy and/or financial resources.

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This study aimed to describe the underlying process, used methods and major recommendations emerging from a comprehensive and prospective health impact assessment of the endorsement of a front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOP-NL) system by the Portuguese health authorities. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather information on the impact of four FOP-NL schemes on consumers’ selection of food products according to the perception of their nutritional quality, combining a systematic literature review, focus groups (FG), in-depth individual interviews, and an open-label crossover randomized controlled study. The relevance of FOP-NL as a public health promotion policy has emerged as a consensual idea among either FGs’ participants (i.e., consumers and experts), or interviewed stakeholders. Although all of the evaluated FOP-NLs result better than no system on promoting the choice of the healthiest product, the effectiveness of easy-to-interpret FOP-NL among vulnerable groups raised concerns related to the need of integrating specific nutritional information to promote a better self-management of chronic diseases, and related to the level of literacy of consumers, which could impair the usage of FOP-NL. Educational campaigns addressing skills to use FOP-NL is recommended. Furthermore, a monitoring strategy should be considered to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of this policy in promoting healthier food choices, and in reducing diet-related non-communicable diseases burden.

This study aimed to understand how beliefs and attitudes regarding COVID-19 are associated with self-perceived changes in food consumption during lockdown between March 19 and May 2, 2020. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic weighted sample of the Portuguese population. Data were collected using an online survey and telephone interviews. The association between agreement with sentences about food and COVID-19 and perceived changes in food consumption were assessed by multinomial logistic regression models. Overall, 5858 citizens were included, with a mean age of 38.2 (17.3) years. Exclusive agreement with the belief “SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by food” (27.5%) was associated with decreased odds of perceived positive changes (e.g., increased consumption of fruit and vegetables). Agreement only with the attitudinal sentence “I started to consume foods that may protect against COVID-19” (11.9%) was associated with positive perceived consumption changes (e.g., increasing fruit and vegetables, and decreasing soft drinks and snacks). Cumulative agreement (with both sentences; 10.6%) was also associated with mostly positive food consumption changes. Specific beliefs and attitudes regarding COVID-19 and food are associated with self-perceived changes in food consumption. Longitudinal research is needed to understand how beliefs and/or attitudes about the role of food in infectious diseases act as determinants of eating behavior modification.