READING AND

UNDERSTANDING
NUTRITION LABELS ON
CAMPUS

Kelci McHugh
Darian Burks
MATCH THAT NUTRITION LABEL
Pumpkin
Bread
Starbuck-
Total
Calories?

a. 500
b. 410
c. 350
MATCH THAT NUTRITION
LABEL
French
Toast Egg
Sandwich-
Total
Sugar?

a. 53
b. 35
c. 27
MATCH THAT NUTRITION
LABEL
Patty Melt
Steak and
Shake-
Total Fat?

a. 40
b. 17
c. 64
WHY ARE WE HERE?
Demographics:
70.7% Adults Overweight or Obese
20.5 Million Students at College or
University
College Students have no
knowledge on nutrition labels
Students believe more information,
such as ingredients list, should be
given
WHY ARE WE HERE?
Goals:
1. Increase knowledge for college
students about how to properly read
and assess a nutrition label.

2. Increase knowledge for college

students about how to read an
ingredients list and become mindful that
a shorter, simpler list could be more
beneficial to health
STEP 1: SERVING SIZE

Important to pay attention to amount per serving

Look to see how many servings are available

A good tool to compare products

STEP 2: CALORIES

The number of servings you consume correlate to

calorie intake
Provide measure of how much energy is being
consumed
General rule:
40 kcals is low
100 kcals is moderate
400 kcals is high
STEP 3: NUTRIENTS OF
CONCERN

These nutrients are ones that need to be limited

Trans fat is the worst thing for you
<1 gram
Saturated also has negative effects
< 7 grams
All of these lead to chronic disease
Heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer
STEP 4: NUTRIENTS OF
CONCERN

Eat plenty of these!!!

Fruits and vegetables are great options

Decrease chronic disease

Fiber and healthy gut function
Calcium and decrease osteoporosis
Vitamin C and healthy immune system
STEP 5: FOOTNOTES

Percents based on 2,000 kcal diet

The same on every label

May not be present on some labels

STEP 6: INGREDIENT LIST
Stick to simple terms that you can pronounce
The smaller the list, the better it may be

vs
IN CLASS ACTIVITY!
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Making mindful decisions on campus can
improve health
increase energy throughout the day
better sleeping habits
improved focus in class
ultimately make people feel better

View the label in sections

Practice!
EXTRA RESOURCES

For campus dining nutrition info:

http://uky.campusdish.com/EatWellContent/ViewMen
u.aspx

For recommended percent daily values:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/Guida
nceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrit
ion/ucm064928.htm
REFERENCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity and
Overweight. Updated June, 2016.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm.
Accessed October 4, 2016.
Fernandes AC et al. Perceptions of university students
regarding food calories, food healthiness, and the importance of
calorie information on menu labeling. Appetite. 2015;91:173-178.
Misra R. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Labor Use among College
Students. Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
2007;107(12):2130-2134.
National Center for Education Statistics. Fast Facts.
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372. Accessed October
4, 2016.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to Understand and Use
the Nutrition Facts Label. Updated May 2016.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/Labelin
gNutrition/ucm274593.htm. Accessed October 3, 2016.