Compulsory nutrient warning labels on foods and drinks packaging could “deliver substantial health benefits for the population”, experts have said.
A new study from the University of Liverpool has discovered that more than 100,000 obesity-related deaths could be avoided if mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling is introduced.
Throughout the trial, the team of researchers used a microsimulation model to look at the impact of mandatory traffic light labels and nutrient warning labels on packaged foods.
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They assessed if labels impacted reformulation of food products by the food industry and food choices by the consumer.
Having mandatory traffic light labels to show a product’s content of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt combatted obesity prevalence by 2.34% and postponed roughly 57,000 obesity-related deaths, the study has reported.
Meanwhile, mandatory nutrient warning labels lowered obesity prevalence by 4.44% and prevented or postponed 110,000 deaths, according to the study.
The researchers found this outcome was the same across different socioeconomic groups, highlighting the positive effect of both types of labelling.
According to experts, traffic light labels and nutrient warning labels should be mandatory instead of optional as they are more effective in enhancing public health outcomes.
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First author Dr Rebecca Evans said: “Our findings suggest that mandatory nutrient warning labels could deliver substantial health benefits for the population, reducing both obesity rates and related mortality.
“These results support current government discussions about alternative labelling approaches and provide robust evidence to guide future UK food labelling policy.”
Fellow author Dr Zoé Colombet said: “Nutrition labels are a simple yet powerful tool. Making them mandatory could help people make healthier food choices and encourage the food industry to rethink what goes on our shelves, helping to prevent thousands of deaths linked to obesity.”
Read more in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.
