Food label literacy and its associated factors among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study

Food label literacy and its associated factors among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Food label literacy and its associated factors among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study Sayali H Kalambe, Akhil R Nair This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted 14 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a leading cause of global mortality, with dietary habits being a critical risk factor. Food labels are essential tools for making informed dietary choices, and as future healthcare professionals, medical students' literacy in this area is crucial for effective patient counselling. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to food labels among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 273 undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Nashik using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a pre-piloted, self-reported questionnaire covering demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food labels. Knowledge levels were categorized as 'Poor' or 'Adequate' based on the median score of five questions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and logistic regression. Results The majority of participants were female (59.0%), with a mean age of 21.4 years and a mean BMI of 23.3 kg/m². While general knowledge of the food safety authority (FSSAI) was high (84.40%), there were gaps in understanding specific regulations. A significant "know-do" gap was evident; students frequently checked expiry dates (39.6% 'always') but infrequently examined nutritional labels (16.1% 'always'). Logistic regression revealed that demographic factors like age, gender, and BMI were not significant predictors of food label literacy. A paradoxical association was found between following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge. Conclusion Undergraduate medical students possess good foundational knowledge and positive attitudes towards food labels but demonstrate a significant gap between their knowledge and practical application. The findings underscore the need to integrate practical, behaviour-focused educational modules into the medical curriculum to ensure future physicians can effectively guide patients in making healthier dietary choices. Food label literacy Nutrition Medical students Maharashtra India Figures Figure 1 INTRODUCTION Accounting for approximately 71% of all deaths worldwide, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with a greater impact on low and middle income countries 1 . A significant proportion of premature deaths are caused by NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. Dietary habits play a critical role in the development and progression of these conditions. Many studies have underscored the link between the consumption of processed foods/junk foods which are high in unhealthy fats, sodium, and sugars and an increased chance of developing NCDs 2 , 3 . This trend necessitates effective strategies to promote better food choices and reduce the global burden of NCDs. "Food labels serve as a critical tool for consumers seeking to navigate the complexities of packaged food choices and make informed decisions about their diets. In India, food labels are regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and are required to provide comprehensive information to enable consumers to make informed choices 4 . The key components of a food label include the nutrition facts panel, ingredient list, allergen information, date marking, and various claims. The nutrition facts panel provides detailed information about serving size, calories, and the content of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Understanding serving sizes and daily values is crucial for accurate interpretation of this information. 5 The ingredient list, presented in descending order of weight, allows consumers to identify the composition of the product. Allergen information highlights the presence of common allergens, aiding individuals with food sensitivities. Date marking, including "use-by" and "best-before" dates, informs consumers about the product's shelf life and safety. The nutrient content claims as well as health claims provide additional information about the nutritional profile and potential benefits of the food, even though the claims are subject to regulatory standards. "Effective use of food labels requires not only the presence of information, but also the ability to comprehend and apply it. This ability is termed "food label literacy" and encompasses the knowledge and skills needed to locate, understand, and use food label information to make informed food choices that promote health 6 , 7 .Research indicates a strong association between higher food label literacy and improved dietary quality, including increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and reduced intake of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars 8 . Furthermore, individuals with greater food label literacy are more likely to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and demonstrate a reduced risk of developing NCDs such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes." "Healthcare professionals play a vital role in guiding patients towards healthier dietary choices and empowering them to make informed decisions about their food intake 9 . Their influence extends beyond providing advice, as they can effectively motivate and support patients in adopting and maintaining healthy eating habits. To fulfil this role effectively, medical professionals must possess a strong understanding of food labels and their various components 10 .This knowledge enables them to accurately interpret and explain label information, guide patients in identifying healthier options, and address any misconceptions or confusion surrounding food labels." Given the importance of food label literacy among medical professionals, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the levels of awareness, attitudes, and practices related to food labels among undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Northern Maharashtra. MATERIAL AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted at the SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Nashik. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the SMBT IMSRC prior to the commencement of the study. A minimum sample size of 272 undergraduate medical students was determined via the standard formula for sample size calculation, with a hypothesized proportion of 58.2% with adequate awareness (based on Nayak et al., 2023) 11 , a desired confidence level of 95%, a 6% margin of error, and adjustment for a 5% nonresponse rate. However, we included a total of 273 students. Participants were recruited from all academic years via a convenience sampling method. The inclusion criterion included being an undergraduate medical student officially enrolled at the SMBT IMSRC during the study period. Students who were absent during the data collection period or declined to participate were excluded. A self-report questionnaire was developed to collect data on various aspects of food label literacy. The questionnaire was developed specifically for this study by the authors and has not been published elsewhere. An English language version is available as a supplementary file (see Additional File 1). The questionnaire included variables covering demographic characteristics (age, gender, year of study), knowledge of food label components (nutritional information, ingredients list, allergens, date marking), attitudes towards food labels (perceived importance, trust in information), and practices related to label use (frequency of reading labels, influence on food choices). The questionnaire was initially piloted with a small group of 20 students to assess its clarity, comprehension, and feasibility. On the basis of the pilot feedback, minor modifications were made to improve the clarity and flow of the questionnaire. The finalized questionnaire was then administered to the participants in a classroom setting. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Data were collected by the researcher who explained the purpose of the study and provided instructions for completing the questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were collected and checked for completeness. The data were entered and coded in MS Excel and subsequently imported into JAMOVI software for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic characteristics of the participants and their responses to the questionnaire items. To assess the overall level of food label knowledge, a score was calculated on the basis of the five knowledge-based questions. Each correct answer was awarded one point, for a maximum possible score of five. The respondents were then categorized into two groups on the basis of the median score. Those scoring below the median were classified as having 'poor knowledge', whereas those scoring at or above the median were classified as having 'adequate knowledge'. The associations between various factors and food label literacy were analysed via logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The authors acknowledge the use of the large language model Gemini (Google) to assist with language editing and to improve the clarity and readability of the manuscript. The authors reviewed and edited all the generated text and assume full responsibility for the final content. RESULTS The demographic characteristics of the 273 undergraduate medical students who participated in the study revealed that the majority of the participants were female (59.0%), and the most represented year of study was the 3rd Professional-II (37.4%). The mean age of the participants was 21.4 years (SD = 1.7). The average height was 162.3 cm (SD = 10.1), with a mean weight of 61.4 kg (SD = 12.5). The mean BMI of the participants was 23.3 kg/m² (SD = 4.1). (Table 1 and Fig. 1 ) Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the study participants Variable Level Frequency Proportion (%) Gender Male 112 41.0 Female 161 59.0 Year of study 1st Professional 28 10.3 2nd Professional 91 33.3 3rd Professional-1 52 19.0 3rd Professional-II 102 37.4 Mean Age (years) Mean (SD) 21.4 (1.7) Height (cm) Mean (SD) 162.3 (10.1) Weight (kg) Mean (SD) 61.4 (12.5) BMI (kg/m2) Mean (SD) 23.3 (4.1) Table 2 presents the knowledge of undergraduate medical students regarding food labelling regulations in India. A majority of the students correctly identified FSSAI as the food safety authority in India (84.40%). Almost all the participants (94.90%) were aware of the packaging material requirements. However, there was a slightly lower level of knowledge regarding the variability of symbol size with respect to package size (66.90%) and principal display panel size with respect to package size (75.90%). Nearly all the students (96.30%) correctly identified the color of the nonvegetarian food symbol as red. Table 2 Knowledge of Food Labelling Regulations among Undergraduate Medical Students Question No Question Correct Response Frequency Percentage 1 Food safety authority in India? FSSAI 228 84.40 2 Packaging material requirements? All of the above 258 94.90 3 Symbol size varies with package size? True 182 66.90 4 Principal Display Panel size varies with package size? True 205 75.90 5 Nonveg food symbol colour? Red 261 96.30 Table 3 displays the attitudes of undergraduate medical students towards food labelling. Most students strongly agreed or agreed that food labelling helps people with healthy conditions avoid certain ingredients (49.8% and 39.9%, respectively) and that knowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of nutrients is important (45.4% and 42.5%, respectively). Opinions were more divided on the ease of use and comprehensiveness of food labels, with 37.7% strongly agreeing and 45.4% agreeing. A similar pattern was observed for the statement that food labelling can help regulate calorie intake (38.5% strongly agree, 44.7% agree). While most students agreed that people should read food labels carefully (39.6% strongly agree, 40.7% agree), there was less trust in the information provided on labels (14.3% strongly agree, 32.6% agree). Importantly, a majority of the students disagreed with the statement that all FSSAI-licenced foods are healthy (19.0% disagree, 5.9% strongly disagree). Table 3 Attitudes of Undergraduate Medical Students towards Food Labelling Question No Question Strongly agree N (%) Agree N (%) Neutral N (%) Disagree N (%) Strongly disagree N (%) 1 Food labelling helps people with health conditions (e.g., hypertension, allergies) avoid certain ingredients. 136 (49.8) 109 (39.9) 19 (7.0) 8 (2.9) 1 (0.4) 2 Food labelling is easy to use and provides comprehensive information. 103 (37.7) 124 (45.4) 38 (13.9) 7 (2.6) 1 (0.4) 3 Knowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of sugar, fat, sodium, and fibre per serving is important. 124 (45.4) 116 (42.5) 29 (10.6) 3 (1.1) 1 (0.4) 4 Food labelling can help regulate calorie intake. 105 (38.5) 122 (44.7) 36 (13.2) 7 (2.6) 3 (1.1) 5 People should read food labels carefully before buying. 108 (39.6) 111 (40.7) 38 (13.9) 11 (4.0) 5 (1.8) 6 Trust in the information provided on food labels. 39 (14.3) 89 (32.6) 108 (39.6) 31 (11.4) 6 (2.2) 7 All FSSAI licenced foods are healthy. 21 (7.7) 85 (31.1) 99 (36.3) 52 (19.0) 16 (5.9) Table 4 illustrates the self-reported practices of undergraduate medical students regarding checking food labels. While the most frequent practice was checking the brand name, manufacturing date, expiration date, and price (39.6% always, 36.6% often), fewer than half reported always or often checking the nutritional label before purchase (16.1% and 32.2%, respectively). A similar pattern was observed for the energy, protein, added sugar, and carbohydrate contents (19.4% always, 31.1% often). Checking the name and address of the manufacturer, directions of use, and vegetarian/nonvegetarian symbols was less common. Checking for additives, country of origin, net weight, and serving size were also less common practices, with "sometimes" being the most frequent response for these items. Notably, the least frequent practice was checking for halal or nonhalal markings (13.9% always, 10.3% often). Table 4 Food label-checking practices of undergraduate medical students Question No Question Always N (%) Often N (%) Sometime N (%) Rarely N (%) Never N (%) 1 Checking nutritional label on package before purchase 44 (16.1) 88 (32.2) 103 (37.7) 28 (10.3) 10 (3.7) 2 Checking of Brand name, manufacturing date, expiry date and price 108 (39.6) 100 (36.6) 47 (17.2) 14 (5.1) 4 (1.5) 3 Read energy, protein content, added sugars and total carbohydrate content 53 (19.4) 85 (31.1) 90 (33.0) 34 (12.5) 11 (4.0) 4 Check name and address of the manufacturer. 34 (12.5) 59 (21.6) 89 (32.6) 60 (22.0) 31 (11.4) 5 Read directions of use mentioned over the food label 57 (20.9) 93 (34.1) 85 (31.1) 31 (11.4) 7 (2.6) 6 Check veg or non veg symbol on food label 39 (14.3) 89 (32.6) 108 (39.6) 31 (11.4) 6 (2.2) 7 Check for additives 33 (12.1) 60 (22.0) 104 (38.1) 50 (18.3) 26 (9.5) 8 Check for country of origin 32 (11.7) 59 (21.6) 84(30.8) 61 (22.3) 37 (13.6) 9 Halal or non halal marking on food pack 38 (13.9) 28 (10.3) 69 (25.3) 62 (22.7) 76 (27.8 ) 10 Check net weight of food 36 (13.2) 54 (19.8) 87 (31.9) 57 (20.9) 39 (14.3) 11 Check serving size 40 (14.7) 66 (24.2) 98 (35.9) 44 (16.1) 25 (9.2) Table 5 shows the associations between various demographic and lifestyle factors and food label knowledge among undergraduate medical students. The chi-square test of independence was used to assess the statistical significance of any observed differences. The analysis revealed a significant association between following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge (p = 0.038). No significant associations were found between food label knowledge and sex, year of study, number of attempts to lose weight, regular gym exercise, or BMI category. Table 5 Association of demographic and lifestyle factors with food label knowledge levels Variable Level Poor Knowledge N (%) Adequate Knowledge N (%) Total N (%) p value Gender Male 23 (37.7) 89 (42.0) 112 (41.0) 0.671 Female 38 (62.3) 123 (58.0) 161 (59.0) Year of Study 1st Professional 7 (11.5) 21 (9.9) 28 (10.3) 0.964 2nd Professional 19 (31.1) 72 (34.0) 91 (33.3) 3rd Professional-I 12 (19.7) 40 (18.9) 52 (19.0) 3rd Professional-II 23 (37.7) 79 (37.3) 102 (37.4) Trying to Get in Shape/Lose Weight Yes 36 (59.0) 139 (65.6) 175 (64.1) 0.317 No 25 (41.0) 73 (34.4) 98 (35.9) Regular Gym Exercise Yes 24 (39.3) 83 (39.2) 107 (39.2) 0.986 No 37 (60.7) 129 (60.8) 166 (60.8) Follows Strict Diet Yes 18 (29.5) 39 (18.4) 57 (20.9) 0.038 No 43 (70.5) 173 (81.6) 216 (79.1) BMI Category Underweight 8 (13.1) 29 (13.7) 37 (13.6) 0.875 Normal 25 (41.0) 76 (35.8) 101 (37.0) Overweight 11 (18.0) 42 (19.8) 53 (19.4) Obese Class I 14 (23.0) 49 (23.1) 63 (23.1) Obese Class II 3 (4.9) 16 (7.5) 19 (7.0) Table 6 presents the results of a logistic regression analysis examining the associations between various demographic factors (age, sex, year of study, BMI) and food label literacy among undergraduate medical students. Food label literacy was assessed via a knowledge-based questionnaire. The analysis revealed that none of the included demographic variables were significant predictors of food label literacy. Age, sex, year of study, and BMI were not significantly associated with scores on the food label knowledge questionnaire. This suggests that other factors not included in the model may be more important in explaining variations in food label literacy among this population. Table 6 Logistic regression analysis of predictors of food label literacy Predictor B (SE) Wald df p value Odds Ratio (95% CI) Age 0.087 (0.129) 0.454 1 0.5 1.091 (0.848, 1.403) Gender (Female) -0.142 (0.316) 0.201 1 0.654 0.868 (0.467, 1.612) 2nd Professional 0.177 (0.541) 0.108 1 0.743 1.194 (0.414, 3.445) 3rd Professional-I -0.082 (0.655) 0.016 1 0.9 0.921 (0.255, 3.325) 3rd Professional-II -0.144 (0.667) 0.047 1 0.829 0.866 (0.234, 3.199) BMI 0.003 (0.038) 0.008 1 0.928 1.003 (0.932, 1.080) Constant -0.584 (2.534) 0.053 1 0.818 0.558 DISCUSSION This cross-sectional study aimed to assess food label awareness among undergraduate medical students at a medical college in northern Maharashtra. Given that future healthcare professionals will play a crucial role in guiding patients towards informed dietary choices, it is essential to evaluate their understanding of food labels and identify any knowledge gaps or areas for improvement. A total of 59.0% of the study participants were females in our study, which corroborates the increasing female enrolment in medical colleges in India, which is consistent with the findings of Annamalai et al. (2022) 12 , who also reported a greater proportion of female participants (61%) in their study on food label knowledge among medical students. The mean age of the participants (21.4 years) and the distribution across different years of study reflect the typical composition of undergraduate medical programs. The mean BMI (23.3 kg/m²) fell within the healthy weight range, suggesting that the sample was generally representative of the student population. The results indicate a high level of knowledge among participants regarding the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and packaging requirements. This is encouraging, as it demonstrates awareness of the regulatory body responsible for food safety and labelling standards in India. This finding is consistent with Hyder et al. (2021) 13 , who reported that nutrition students demonstrated 100% awareness of certified food labels, including the FSSAI. However, this finding contrasts with that of Kataria et al. (2023) 14 , who reported poor knowledge of food labelling regulations among medical students, with only 23.2% of them knowing the color-coded food safety display board. This discrepancy may be attributed to differences in the study populations, educational interventions, or assessment methods. While knowledge of FSSAI and packaging requirements was high, there was a slightly lower level of understanding regarding the variability of symbol size and Principal Display Panel (PDP) size with package size. This suggests a potential knowledge gap in understanding specific labelling regulations, which could be addressed through targeted educational interventions. The complexity of labelling regulations, as highlighted in Bhattacharya et al. (2022) 15 , might contribute to this knowledge gap. The high level of knowledge regarding nonvegetarian food symbols is positive, as it demonstrates familiarity with a key element of food labelling that is relevant for dietary choices and cultural considerations in India. The undergraduate medical students in this study demonstrated largely positive attitudes towards food labelling. A majority strongly agreed or agreed that food labelling assists individuals with health conditions in avoiding specific ingredients, echoing the findings of Malek Mahdavi et al. (2012) 16 , where 89.2% of Iranian university students believed that food labels positively influenced nutritional awareness. Similarly, most participants in the current study recognized the importance of knowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of nutrients per serving, aligning with the emphasis on nutrition education for informed food choices highlighted by Hyder et al. (2021) 13 . However, opinions were less unified regarding the ease of use and comprehensiveness of food labels. This variability in attitudes might stem from the complexity of label formats and the potential for conflicting information, as noted by Bhattacharya et al. (2022) 15 in their assessment of consumer perceptions of Front-of-Package labels. The relatively lower levels of trust in the information provided on labels are a concern, mirroring the doubts expressed by 79.2% of the students in the Malek Mahdavi et al. (2012) 16 study regarding the truthfulness of nutrition claims. This observation reinforces the need for educational interventions to increase trust in food labels by emphasizing the regulatory framework and standards for accuracy in labelling. The majority of the students disagreed with the notion that all FSSAI-licenced foods are healthy. This observation is important because it shows that licensing does not necessarily equate to nutritional quality. This awareness is important among medical students, as they are future health care professionals, as they will be responsible for guiding their patients in making informed dietary choices. Basic product information such as brand name, date of manufacture, date of expiry and price of the item was the most frequently used information by the study participants. This aligns with the findings of Annamalai et al. (2022) 12 and Batey et al. (2024) 17 , where checking the expiration date was the primary practice among medical and college students. Notably, fewer than half of the participants in the current study reported consistently checking their nutritional label before purchase. This correlates with the poor utilization of nutritional information reported by Annamalai et al. (2022) 12 , where only 27.5% of medical students viewed nutritional information. Several factors may contribute to this low frequency of checking nutritional information. As noted by Dwivedi et al. (2022) 18 and Kataria et al. (2023) 14 , time constraints, lack of interest, and the perceived complexity of nutritional labels could be potential barriers. Additionally, the emphasis on taste and brand loyalty as primary factors influencing food choices, as reported by Batey et al. (2024) 17 , may also be contributing factors. The less frequent checking of specific label components such as additives, country of origin, and serving size warrants attention. Educational interventions should emphasize the relevance of these components for making informed choices. For example, understanding additives can help identify potential allergens or unhealthy ingredients, while checking serving size is crucial for accurate interpretation of nutritional information. The significant gap between students' high food label knowledge and their low practical use is concerning, as their personal habits can influence their credibility and counselling as future physicians, suggesting a need for educational interventions focused on behaviour rather than just information. Logistic regression analysis aimed to identify potential demographic predictors of food label literacy among undergraduate medical students. The dependent variable in this analysis was the overall score on the knowledge-based questionnaire, with higher scores indicating greater food label literacy. Unexpectedly, the analysis revealed that none of the included demographic variables (age, sex, year of study, or BMI) were significant predictors of food label literacy. This contrasts with the findings of Annamalai et al. (2022) 12 , who reported that female students had 3.4 times better knowledge of food labels than male students did. The finding that demographic factors did not predict food label literacy suggests that the intensive and standardized medical curriculum may act as an "equalizer," making educational exposure a more dominant influence than the demographic variables seen in other populations. A striking finding of this study was the statistically significant association between students following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge. This counterintuitive result may suggest that these individuals rely on simplistic diet rules from noncredible sources or avoid entire food categories, which bypasses the need for nuanced interpretation of nutritional labels. This highlights a potential disconnect between the desire to eat healthily and the skills required to do so effectively. LIMITATIONS This study has certain limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings. As a cross-sectional study, causality between the observed associations cannot be established. The convenience sampling method might have introduced selection bias, and the sample size, while adequate, may not be fully representative of all undergraduate medical students. Furthermore, the reliance on self-reported data through questionnaires is susceptible to recall bias and social desirability bias. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This cross-sectional study assessed food label literacy among 273 undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Northern Maharashtra. The findings revealed that while students had high knowledge of the food safety authority (FSSAI) and positive attitudes towards labels, there were gaps in understanding specific regulations and lower trust in the provided information. A significant "know-do" gap was evident, as students frequently checked expiry dates (39.6% 'always') but infrequently examined nutritional labels (16.1% 'always') before purchase. The analysis revealed that demographic factors such as sex and BMI did not predict literacy, but following a strict diet was paradoxically associated with poor food label knowledge (p = 0.038). Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Ethical clearance for this study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (IMSRC), Nashik. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, and informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study. Consent for publication Not applicable. This manuscript does not contain any individual person’s data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos). Availability of data and materials The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available to protect participant confidentiality but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Authors' contributions S.K - Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft. A.N.: Conceptualization, Project Administration, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – Review & Editing. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgements The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the undergraduate medical students of the SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Nashik, for their voluntary participation in this study. We also thank the institutional authorities for granting permission to conduct the research. References World Health Organisation. Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018 [Internet]. [cited 2024 Nov 16]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514620 Imamura F, O’Connor L, Ye Z, Mursu J, Hayashino Y, Bhupathiraju SN, et al. Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice and incidence of type 2 diabetes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and estimation of population attributable fraction. BMJ. 2015;351:h3576. Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, Ruggiero E, Esposito S, Persichillo M, et al. Ultraprocessed food consumption is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in participants with type 2 diabetes independent of diet quality: a prospective observational cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(3):627–36. FSSAI [Internet]. [cited 2024 Nov 16]. Available from: https://www.fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-and-standards-regulations.php Program HF. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. FDA [Internet]. 2024 Sep 3 [cited 2024 Nov 16]; Available from: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label Zoellner J, Connell C, Bounds W, Crook L, Yadrick K. Nutrition literacy status and preferred nutrition communication channels among adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Prev Chronic Dis. 2009;6(4):A128. Ollberding NJ, Wolf RL, Contento I. Food label use and its relation to dietary intake among US adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(8):1233–7. Anastasiou K, Miller M, Dickinson K. The relationship between food label use and dietary intake in adults: A systematic review. Appetite. 2019;138:280–91. Organization WH, Diet. Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003. p. 159. Crowley J, Ball L, Hiddink GJ. Nutrition in medical education: a systematic review. Lancet Planet Health. 2019;3(9):e379–89. Nayak R, Jadhav J, G P. S R, C A. Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding food labels among undergraduate medical students of a government medical college, Bengaluru. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 2023;(0):1. Annamalai S, Gopichandran V. Knowledge, attitudes and utilization of food labels among undergraduate medical students in a medical college in Chennai – A cross sectional survey. Indian J Community Family Med. 2022;8(1):33–8. Hyder Tunisa, Rao A. A Comparative Study to Check Awareness of Food Labelling between Nutrition and Non-Nutrition Undergraduate Students. Indian J Public Health Res Dev. 2021;12(4):391–6. Kataria GM, Kouser W. Knowledge, attitude and practice of using food label information among undergraduate medical students: A cross sectional Study. 2023. Bhattacharya S, Bera OP, Shah V. Consumers’ Perception About Front of Package Food Labels (FOPL) in India: A Survey of 14 States. Front Public Health. 2022;10:936802. Mahdavi AM, Abdolahi P, Mahdavi R, Knowledge. Attitude and Practice between Medical and Non-Medical Sciences Students about Food Labelling. Health Promotion Perspect. 2012;2(2):173. Batey S, Patel D. Assessing the knowledge and reading practice of food label among college students. Int J Adv Res Innovative Ideas Educ 10(4). Shatkratu D, Amarnath G, Abhijit D, Shubhra D, Bhupendra KR, Sudeept D. Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food labelling among Medical & Nursing students in a medical college in Madhya Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional study. Global J Med Public Health. 2022;11(5):01–8. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files QuestionnaireFoodLabelLiteracyStudy.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 20 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 01 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 11 Dec, 2025 Editor invited by journal 05 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 17 Oct, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 16 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 16 Oct, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7861344","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":559685522,"identity":"bed030b4-ee77-46cf-8857-83db5c864384","order_by":0,"name":"Sayali H Kalambe","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sayali","middleName":"H","lastName":"Kalambe","suffix":""},{"id":559685524,"identity":"d1950ce3-7a63-42bf-9d70-9b0a4741175b","order_by":1,"name":"Akhil R Nair","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA50lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACHh6GAw+ANBsD8wEJsMgBMCKgJQGshS2BeC0MCRCWAVwLXsDfc/Yg0JY78nzSZz7eLmxjkOO7kcB4uACPFomzfQlALc8M2/hyN1vPbGMwlryRwHB4Bj5rzvMYALUcZmzj4d0mzdvGkLgBpIUHjw55qBb7Nh6eZyAt9QS1GJztAWtJBGphA2lJMCCkxfDMGaAWg8PJbTxsxtYzzkkYzjzzsAGvFrkzOcYfPlQctp3fw/zwdkGZjTzf8eTDn/FpgToPQjEDQxBIMTYQ1AAHzMQrHQWjYBSMgpEEAPe8TZ/tlu31AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Akhil","middleName":"R","lastName":"Nair","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-10-14 18:38:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27227-1","type":"published","date":"2026-04-01T15:58:39+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":98440071,"identity":"56972dda-528c-4e52-ad49-ca88500afada","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 17:03:16","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":77606,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"RevisedreviewedFoodLabelLiteracyBMCVersion2.0.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/2e332f15ad516561ebef0828.docx"},{"id":98377238,"identity":"7a59b803-2063-455f-92a7-06ae252fa05e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":5051,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"5002ceaf7b644c9a871a0be7a7140de7.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/590dfbe9351674620299f8c7.json"},{"id":98377244,"identity":"59f5d2b3-6ee6-4269-bd24-b582d145710c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":196202,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"QuestionnaireFoodLabelLiteracyStudy.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/ef89179aaa473ff253cae302.pdf"},{"id":98377241,"identity":"49fb075a-168e-417e-a578-ed0f3f12b76b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"xml","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":92307,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"5002ceaf7b644c9a871a0be7a7140de71enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/80ec8e1ba49859595008ecb0.xml"},{"id":98377246,"identity":"6ece15dd-1f5c-465a-bdf6-391fb2fa0e44","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"xml","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":89708,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"5002ceaf7b644c9a871a0be7a7140de71structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/00caa46a79e3e69a8a185d2f.xml"},{"id":98439766,"identity":"e5f473c4-81a9-4831-8cd4-855dbb63702a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 17:02:54","extension":"html","order_by":6,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":98691,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/64e56b28854c938b6a276181.html"},{"id":98377240,"identity":"e889f816-00cb-445d-9ec1-a74aca4fe83a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":48128,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDistribution of body mass index (kg/m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) among study participants\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/0eaa1cd03c4dfa2a4e444d6f.png"},{"id":106344071,"identity":"25568e20-bcba-4081-a0bf-b80b6acf6bd1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-07 16:12:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":963622,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/47d49551-3864-4397-9753-c0947457794e.pdf"},{"id":98377243,"identity":"2de7db8a-ca1a-466e-9498-b5324b4b47ea","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-17 07:12:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":196202,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"QuestionnaireFoodLabelLiteracyStudy.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7861344/v1/914d8fb3558167b8de1b6f58.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Food label literacy and its associated factors among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eAccounting for approximately 71% of all deaths worldwide, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with a greater impact on low and middle income countries\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. A significant proportion of premature deaths are caused by NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. Dietary habits play a critical role in the development and progression of these conditions. Many studies have underscored the link between the consumption of processed foods/junk foods which are high in unhealthy fats, sodium, and sugars and an increased chance of developing NCDs\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e,\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. This trend necessitates effective strategies to promote better food choices and reduce the global burden of NCDs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Food labels serve as a critical tool for consumers seeking to navigate the complexities of packaged food choices and make informed decisions about their diets. In India, food labels are regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and are required to provide comprehensive information to enable consumers to make informed choices\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. The key components of a food label include the nutrition facts panel, ingredient list, allergen information, date marking, and various claims. The nutrition facts panel provides detailed information about serving size, calories, and the content of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Understanding serving sizes and daily values is crucial for accurate interpretation of this information.\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The ingredient list, presented in descending order of weight, allows consumers to identify the composition of the product. Allergen information highlights the presence of common allergens, aiding individuals with food sensitivities. Date marking, including \"use-by\" and \"best-before\" dates, informs consumers about the product's shelf life and safety. The nutrient content claims as well as health claims provide additional information about the nutritional profile and potential benefits of the food, even though the claims are subject to regulatory standards.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Effective use of food labels requires not only the presence of information, but also the ability to comprehend and apply it. This ability is termed \"food label literacy\" and encompasses the knowledge and skills needed to locate, understand, and use food label information to make informed food choices that promote health\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e,\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.Research indicates a strong association between higher food label literacy and improved dietary quality, including increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and reduced intake of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. Furthermore, individuals with greater food label literacy are more likely to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and demonstrate a reduced risk of developing NCDs such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Healthcare professionals play a vital role in guiding patients towards healthier dietary choices and empowering them to make informed decisions about their food intake\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. Their influence extends beyond providing advice, as they can effectively motivate and support patients in adopting and maintaining healthy eating habits. To fulfil this role effectively, medical professionals must possess a strong understanding of food labels and their various components\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.This knowledge enables them to accurately interpret and explain label information, guide patients in identifying healthier options, and address any misconceptions or confusion surrounding food labels.\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGiven the importance of food label literacy among medical professionals, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the levels of awareness, attitudes, and practices related to food labels among undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Northern Maharashtra.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"MATERIAL AND METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis cross-sectional study was conducted at the SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Nashik. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the SMBT IMSRC prior to the commencement of the study. A minimum sample size of 272 undergraduate medical students was determined via the standard formula for sample size calculation, with a hypothesized proportion of 58.2% with adequate awareness (based on Nayak et al., 2023)\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, a desired confidence level of 95%, a 6% margin of error, and adjustment for a 5% nonresponse rate. However, we included a total of 273 students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Participants were recruited from all academic years via a convenience sampling method. The inclusion criterion included being an undergraduate medical student officially enrolled at the SMBT IMSRC during the study period. Students who were absent during the data collection period or declined to participate were excluded. A self-report questionnaire was developed to collect data on various aspects of food label literacy. The questionnaire was developed specifically for this study by the authors and has not been published elsewhere. An English language version is available as a supplementary file (see Additional File 1). The questionnaire included variables covering demographic characteristics (age, gender, year of study), knowledge of food label components (nutritional information, ingredients list, allergens, date marking), attitudes towards food labels (perceived importance, trust in information), and practices related to label use (frequency of reading labels, influence on food choices).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe questionnaire was initially piloted with a small group of 20 students to assess its clarity, comprehension, and feasibility. On the basis of the pilot feedback, minor modifications were made to improve the clarity and flow of the questionnaire. The finalized questionnaire was then administered to the participants in a classroom setting. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Data were collected by the researcher who explained the purpose of the study and provided instructions for completing the questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were collected and checked for completeness.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe data were entered and coded in MS Excel and subsequently imported into JAMOVI software for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic characteristics of the participants and their responses to the questionnaire items. To assess the overall level of food label knowledge, a score was calculated on the basis of the five knowledge-based questions. Each correct answer was awarded one point, for a maximum possible score of five. The respondents were then categorized into two groups on the basis of the median score. Those scoring below the median were classified as having 'poor knowledge', whereas those scoring at or above the median were classified as having 'adequate knowledge'. The associations between various factors and food label literacy were analysed via logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors acknowledge the use of the large language model Gemini (Google) to assist with language editing and to improve the clarity and readability of the manuscript. The authors reviewed and edited all the generated text and assume full responsibility for the final content.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe demographic characteristics of the 273 undergraduate medical students who participated in the study revealed that the majority of the participants were female (59.0%), and the most represented year of study was the 3rd Professional-II (37.4%). The mean age of the participants was 21.4 years (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.7). The average height was 162.3 cm (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10.1), with a mean weight of 61.4 kg (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12.5). The mean BMI of the participants was 23.3 kg/m\u0026sup2; (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.1). (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemographic characteristics of the study participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLevel\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProportion (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e112\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e161\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear of study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1st Professional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2nd Professional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e102\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean Age (years)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.4 (1.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeight (cm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e162.3 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWeight (kg)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e61.4 (12.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBMI (kg/m2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.3 (4.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e presents the knowledge of undergraduate medical students regarding food labelling regulations in India. A majority of the students correctly identified FSSAI as the food safety authority in India (84.40%). Almost all the participants (94.90%) were aware of the packaging material requirements. However, there was a slightly lower level of knowledge regarding the variability of symbol size with respect to package size (66.90%) and principal display panel size with respect to package size (75.90%). Nearly all the students (96.30%) correctly identified the color of the nonvegetarian food symbol as red.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowledge of Food Labelling Regulations among Undergraduate Medical Students\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion No\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrect Response\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood safety authority in India?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFSSAI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e228\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e84.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePackaging material requirements?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll of the above\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e258\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e94.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSymbol size varies with package size?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrue\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e182\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrincipal Display Panel size varies with package size?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrue\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e205\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNonveg food symbol colour?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e261\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e displays the attitudes of undergraduate medical students towards food labelling. Most students strongly agreed or agreed that food labelling helps people with healthy conditions avoid certain ingredients (49.8% and 39.9%, respectively) and that knowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of nutrients is important (45.4% and 42.5%, respectively). Opinions were more divided on the ease of use and comprehensiveness of food labels, with 37.7% strongly agreeing and 45.4% agreeing. A similar pattern was observed for the statement that food labelling can help regulate calorie intake (38.5% strongly agree, 44.7% agree). While most students agreed that people should read food labels carefully (39.6% strongly agree, 40.7% agree), there was less trust in the information provided on labels (14.3% strongly agree, 32.6% agree). Importantly, a majority of the students disagreed with the statement that all FSSAI-licenced foods are healthy (19.0% disagree, 5.9% strongly disagree).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAttitudes of Undergraduate Medical Students towards Food Labelling\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion No\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStrongly disagree\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood labelling helps people with health conditions (e.g., hypertension, allergies) avoid certain ingredients.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e136 (49.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e109 (39.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19 (7.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (2.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 (0.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood labelling is easy to use and provides comprehensive information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e103 (37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e124 (45.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38 (13.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (2.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 (0.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of sugar, fat, sodium, and fibre per serving is important.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e124 (45.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e116 (42.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29 (10.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (1.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 (0.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood labelling can help regulate calorie intake.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e105 (38.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e122 (44.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36 (13.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (2.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (1.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeople should read food labels carefully before buying.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e108 (39.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e111 (40.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38 (13.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 (4.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 (1.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrust in the information provided on food labels.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39 (14.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89 (32.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e108 (39.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31 (11.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 (2.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll FSSAI licenced foods are healthy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21 (7.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85 (31.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e99 (36.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52 (19.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16 (5.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e illustrates the self-reported practices of undergraduate medical students regarding checking food labels. While the most frequent practice was checking the brand name, manufacturing date, expiration date, and price (39.6% always, 36.6% often), fewer than half reported always or often checking the nutritional label before purchase (16.1% and 32.2%, respectively). A similar pattern was observed for the energy, protein, added sugar, and carbohydrate contents (19.4% always, 31.1% often). Checking the name and address of the manufacturer, directions of use, and vegetarian/nonvegetarian symbols was less common. Checking for additives, country of origin, net weight, and serving size were also less common practices, with \"sometimes\" being the most frequent response for these items. Notably, the least frequent practice was checking for halal or nonhalal markings (13.9% always, 10.3% often).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood label-checking practices of undergraduate medical students\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion No\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlways\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOften\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSometime\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRarely\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNever\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChecking nutritional label on package before purchase\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44 (16.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88 (32.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e103 (37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28 (10.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10 (3.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChecking of Brand name, manufacturing date, expiry date and price\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e108 (39.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100 (36.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47 (17.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14 (5.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (1.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRead energy, protein content, added sugars and total carbohydrate content\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53 (19.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85 (31.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e90 (33.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34 (12.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 (4.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck name and address of the manufacturer.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34 (12.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59 (21.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89 (32.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60 (22.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31 (11.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRead directions of use mentioned over the food label\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57 (20.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e93 (34.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85 (31.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31 (11.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (2.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck veg or non veg symbol on food label\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39 (14.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89 (32.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e108 (39.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31 (11.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 (2.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck for additives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33 (12.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60 (22.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e104 (38.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50 (18.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26 (9.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck for country of origin\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e32 (11.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59 (21.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e84(30.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e61 (22.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37 (13.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHalal or non halal marking on food pack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38 (13.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28 (10.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69 (25.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62 (22.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e76 (27.8 )\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck net weight of food\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36 (13.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e54 (19.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87 (31.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57 (20.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39 (14.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck serving size\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40 (14.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66 (24.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e98 (35.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44 (16.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25 (9.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e shows the associations between various demographic and lifestyle factors and food label knowledge among undergraduate medical students. The chi-square test of independence was used to assess the statistical significance of any observed differences. The analysis revealed a significant association between following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.038). No significant associations were found between food label knowledge and sex, year of study, number of attempts to lose weight, regular gym exercise, or BMI category.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAssociation of demographic and lifestyle factors with food label knowledge levels\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLevel\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePoor Knowledge\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdequate Knowledge\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eN (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal N (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23 (37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89 (42.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e112 (41.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.671\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38 (62.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e123 (58.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e161 (59.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear of Study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1st Professional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (11.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21 (9.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28 (10.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.964\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2nd Professional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19 (31.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72 (34.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e91 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-I\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12 (19.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40 (18.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52 (19.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23 (37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79 (37.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e102 (37.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrying to Get in Shape/Lose Weight\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36 (59.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e139 (65.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e175 (64.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.317\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25 (41.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e73 (34.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e98 (35.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegular Gym Exercise\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24 (39.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e83 (39.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e107 (39.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.986\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37 (60.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e129 (60.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e166 (60.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFollows Strict Diet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 (29.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39 (18.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57 (20.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.038\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43 (70.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173 (81.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e216 (79.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBMI Category\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnderweight\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (13.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29 (13.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37 (13.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.875\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNormal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25 (41.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e76 (35.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e101 (37.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverweight\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 (18.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42 (19.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53 (19.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eObese Class I\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14 (23.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49 (23.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63 (23.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eObese Class II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (4.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16 (7.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19 (7.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e presents the results of a logistic regression analysis examining the associations between various demographic factors (age, sex, year of study, BMI) and food label literacy among undergraduate medical students. Food label literacy was assessed via a knowledge-based questionnaire. The analysis revealed that none of the included demographic variables were significant predictors of food label literacy. Age, sex, year of study, and BMI were not significantly associated with scores on the food label knowledge questionnaire. This suggests that other factors not included in the model may be more important in explaining variations in food label literacy among this population.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLogistic regression analysis of predictors of food label literacy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePredictor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eB (SE)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWald\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOdds Ratio (95% CI)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.087 (0.129)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.454\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.091 (0.848, 1.403)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender (Female)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.142 (0.316)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.201\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.654\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.868 (0.467, 1.612)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2nd Professional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.177 (0.541)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.108\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.743\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.194 (0.414, 3.445)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-I\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.082 (0.655)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.016\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.921 (0.255, 3.325)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3rd Professional-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.144 (0.667)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.047\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.829\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.866 (0.234, 3.199)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBMI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.003 (0.038)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.008\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.928\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.003 (0.932, 1.080)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConstant\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.584 (2.534)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.053\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.818\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.558\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis cross-sectional study aimed to assess food label awareness among undergraduate medical students at a medical college in northern Maharashtra. Given that future healthcare professionals will play a crucial role in guiding patients towards informed dietary choices, it is essential to evaluate their understanding of food labels and identify any knowledge gaps or areas for improvement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 59.0% of the study participants were females in our study, which corroborates the increasing female enrolment in medical colleges in India, which is consistent with the findings of \u003cb\u003eAnnamalai et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, who also reported a greater proportion of female participants (61%) in their study on food label knowledge among medical students. The mean age of the participants (21.4 years) and the distribution across different years of study reflect the typical composition of undergraduate medical programs. The mean BMI (23.3 kg/m\u0026sup2;) fell within the healthy weight range, suggesting that the sample was generally representative of the student population.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e The results indicate a high level of knowledge among participants regarding the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and packaging requirements. This is encouraging, as it demonstrates awareness of the regulatory body responsible for food safety and labelling standards in India. This finding is consistent with \u003cb\u003eHyder et al. (2021)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, who reported that nutrition students demonstrated 100% awareness of certified food labels, including the FSSAI. However, this finding contrasts with that of \u003cb\u003eKataria et al. (2023)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, who reported poor knowledge of food labelling regulations among medical students, with only 23.2% of them knowing the color-coded food safety display board. This discrepancy may be attributed to differences in the study populations, educational interventions, or assessment methods.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile knowledge of FSSAI and packaging requirements was high, there was a slightly lower level of understanding regarding the variability of symbol size and Principal Display Panel (PDP) size with package size. This suggests a potential knowledge gap in understanding specific labelling regulations, which could be addressed through targeted educational interventions. The complexity of labelling regulations, as highlighted in \u003cb\u003eBhattacharya et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, might contribute to this knowledge gap.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe high level of knowledge regarding nonvegetarian food symbols is positive, as it demonstrates familiarity with a key element of food labelling that is relevant for dietary choices and cultural considerations in India.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe undergraduate medical students in this study demonstrated largely positive attitudes towards food labelling. A majority strongly agreed or agreed that food labelling assists individuals with health conditions in avoiding specific ingredients, echoing the findings of \u003cb\u003eMalek Mahdavi et al. (2012)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, where 89.2% of Iranian university students believed that food labels positively influenced nutritional awareness. Similarly, most participants in the current study recognized the importance of knowing the maximum/minimum consumption values of nutrients per serving, aligning with the emphasis on nutrition education for informed food choices highlighted by \u003cb\u003eHyder et al. (2021)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, opinions were less unified regarding the ease of use and comprehensiveness of food labels. This variability in attitudes might stem from the complexity of label formats and the potential for conflicting information, as noted by \u003cb\u003eBhattacharya et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003ein their assessment of consumer perceptions of Front-of-Package labels. The relatively lower levels of trust in the information provided on labels are a concern, mirroring the doubts expressed by 79.2% of the students in the \u003cb\u003eMalek Mahdavi et al. (2012)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e study regarding the truthfulness of nutrition claims. This observation reinforces the need for educational interventions to increase trust in food labels by emphasizing the regulatory framework and standards for accuracy in labelling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe majority of the students disagreed with the notion that all FSSAI-licenced foods are healthy. This observation is important because it shows that licensing does not necessarily equate to nutritional quality. This awareness is important among medical students, as they are future health care professionals, as they will be responsible for guiding their patients in making informed dietary choices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBasic product information such as brand name, date of manufacture, date of expiry and price of the item was the most frequently used information by the study participants. This aligns with the findings of \u003cb\u003eAnnamalai et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003eand \u003cb\u003eBatey et al. (2024)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, where checking the expiration date was the primary practice among medical and college students. Notably, fewer than half of the participants in the current study reported consistently checking their nutritional label before purchase. This correlates with the poor utilization of nutritional information reported by \u003cb\u003eAnnamalai et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, where only 27.5% of medical students viewed nutritional information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSeveral factors may contribute to this low frequency of checking nutritional information. As noted by \u003cb\u003eDwivedi et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and \u003cb\u003eKataria et al. (2023)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, time constraints, lack of interest, and the perceived complexity of nutritional labels could be potential barriers. Additionally, the emphasis on taste and brand loyalty as primary factors influencing food choices, as reported by \u003cb\u003eBatey et al. (2024)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, may also be contributing factors.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe less frequent checking of specific label components such as additives, country of origin, and serving size warrants attention. Educational interventions should emphasize the relevance of these components for making informed choices. For example, understanding additives can help identify potential allergens or unhealthy ingredients, while checking serving size is crucial for accurate interpretation of nutritional information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe significant gap between students' high food label knowledge and their low practical use is concerning, as their personal habits can influence their credibility and counselling as future physicians, suggesting a need for educational interventions focused on behaviour rather than just information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLogistic regression analysis aimed to identify potential demographic predictors of food label literacy among undergraduate medical students. The dependent variable in this analysis was the overall score on the knowledge-based questionnaire, with higher scores indicating greater food label literacy. Unexpectedly, the analysis revealed that none of the included demographic variables (age, sex, year of study, or BMI) were significant predictors of food label literacy. This contrasts with the findings of \u003cb\u003eAnnamalai et al. (2022)\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e, who reported that female students had 3.4 times better knowledge of food labels than male students did. The finding that demographic factors did not predict food label literacy suggests that the intensive and standardized medical curriculum may act as an \"equalizer,\" making educational exposure a more dominant influence than the demographic variables seen in other populations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA striking finding of this study was the statistically significant association between students following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge. This counterintuitive result may suggest that these individuals rely on simplistic diet rules from noncredible sources or avoid entire food categories, which bypasses the need for nuanced interpretation of nutritional labels. This highlights a potential disconnect between the desire to eat healthily and the skills required to do so effectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLIMITATIONS\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study has certain limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings. As a cross-sectional study, causality between the observed associations cannot be established. The convenience sampling method might have introduced selection bias, and the sample size, while adequate, may not be fully representative of all undergraduate medical students. Furthermore, the reliance on self-reported data through questionnaires is susceptible to recall bias and social desirability bias.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis cross-sectional study assessed food label literacy among 273 undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Northern Maharashtra. The findings revealed that while students had high knowledge of the food safety authority (FSSAI) and positive attitudes towards labels, there were gaps in understanding specific regulations and lower trust in the provided information. A significant \"know-do\" gap was evident, as students frequently checked expiry dates (39.6% 'always') but infrequently examined nutritional labels (16.1% 'always') before purchase. The analysis revealed that demographic factors such as sex and BMI did not predict literacy, but following a strict diet was paradoxically associated with poor food label knowledge (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.038).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical clearance for this study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (IMSRC), Nashik. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, and informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable. This manuscript does not contain any individual person\u0026rsquo;s data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available to protect participant confidentiality but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026apos; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eS.K -\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eConceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Writing \u0026ndash; Original Draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA.N.:\u003c/strong\u003e Conceptualization, Project Administration, Methodology, Supervision, Writing \u0026ndash; Review \u0026amp; Editing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the undergraduate medical students of the SMBT Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Nashik, for their voluntary participation in this study. We also thank the institutional authorities for granting permission to conduct the research.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorld Health Organisation. Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018 [Internet]. [cited 2024 Nov 16]. Available from: \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514620\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514620\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eImamura F, O\u0026rsquo;Connor L, Ye Z, Mursu J, Hayashino Y, Bhupathiraju SN, et al. Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice and incidence of type 2 diabetes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and estimation of population attributable fraction. BMJ. 2015;351:h3576.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, Ruggiero E, Esposito S, Persichillo M, et al. Ultraprocessed food consumption is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in participants with type 2 diabetes independent of diet quality: a prospective observational cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(3):627\u0026ndash;36.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFSSAI [Internet]. [cited 2024 Nov 16]. Available from: \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-and-standards-regulations.php\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-and-standards-regulations.php\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProgram HF. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. FDA [Internet]. 2024 Sep 3 [cited 2024 Nov 16]; Available from: \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZoellner J, Connell C, Bounds W, Crook L, Yadrick K. Nutrition literacy status and preferred nutrition communication channels among adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Prev Chronic Dis. 2009;6(4):A128.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOllberding NJ, Wolf RL, Contento I. Food label use and its relation to dietary intake among US adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(8):1233\u0026ndash;7.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnastasiou K, Miller M, Dickinson K. The relationship between food label use and dietary intake in adults: A systematic review. Appetite. 2019;138:280\u0026ndash;91.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrganization WH, Diet. Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003. p. 159.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCrowley J, Ball L, Hiddink GJ. Nutrition in medical education: a systematic review. Lancet Planet Health. 2019;3(9):e379\u0026ndash;89.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNayak R, Jadhav J, G P. S R, C A. Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding food labels among undergraduate medical students of a government medical college, Bengaluru. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 2023;(0):1.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnamalai S, Gopichandran V. Knowledge, attitudes and utilization of food labels among undergraduate medical students in a medical college in Chennai \u0026ndash; A cross sectional survey. Indian J Community Family Med. 2022;8(1):33\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHyder Tunisa, Rao A. A Comparative Study to Check Awareness of Food Labelling between Nutrition and Non-Nutrition Undergraduate Students. Indian J Public Health Res Dev. 2021;12(4):391\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKataria GM, Kouser W. Knowledge, attitude and practice of using food label information among undergraduate medical students: A cross sectional Study. 2023.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBhattacharya S, Bera OP, Shah V. Consumers\u0026rsquo; Perception About Front of Package Food Labels (FOPL) in India: A Survey of 14 States. Front Public Health. 2022;10:936802.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMahdavi AM, Abdolahi P, Mahdavi R, Knowledge. Attitude and Practice between Medical and Non-Medical Sciences Students about Food Labelling. Health Promotion Perspect. 2012;2(2):173.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBatey S, Patel D. Assessing the knowledge and reading practice of food label among college students. Int J Adv Res Innovative Ideas Educ 10(4).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShatkratu D, Amarnath G, Abhijit D, Shubhra D, Bhupendra KR, Sudeept D. Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food labelling among Medical \u0026amp; Nursing students in a medical college in Madhya Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional study. Global J Med Public Health. 2022;11(5):01\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Food label literacy, Nutrition, Medical students, Maharashtra, India","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a leading cause of global mortality, with dietary habits being a critical risk factor. Food labels are essential tools for making informed dietary choices, and as future healthcare professionals, medical students' literacy in this area is crucial for effective patient counselling. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to food labels among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional study was conducted among 273 undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Nashik using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a pre-piloted, self-reported questionnaire covering demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food labels. Knowledge levels were categorized as 'Poor' or 'Adequate' based on the median score of five questions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and logistic regression.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe majority of participants were female (59.0%), with a mean age of 21.4 years and a mean BMI of 23.3 kg/m\u0026sup2;. While general knowledge of the food safety authority (FSSAI) was high (84.40%), there were gaps in understanding specific regulations. A significant \"know-do\" gap was evident; students frequently checked expiry dates (39.6% 'always') but infrequently examined nutritional labels (16.1% 'always'). Logistic regression revealed that demographic factors like age, gender, and BMI were not significant predictors of food label literacy. A paradoxical association was found between following a strict diet and having poor food label knowledge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eUndergraduate medical students possess good foundational knowledge and positive attitudes towards food labels but demonstrate a significant gap between their knowledge and practical application. The findings underscore the need to integrate practical, behaviour-focused educational modules into the medical curriculum to ensure future physicians can effectively guide patients in making healthier dietary choices.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Food label literacy and its associated factors among undergraduate medical students in Northern Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-17 07:12:02","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861344/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-01-21T04:13:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-19T07:24:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"309550802516475430638756467075190941072","date":"2026-01-19T07:11:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"8352455930783933164119209956290301285","date":"2026-01-19T06:08:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"262320286521182636119151555950454930107","date":"2026-01-19T04:09:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-01T06:52:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-18T06:30:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"31164456186724301131609574290365066261","date":"2025-12-13T05:43:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"70588762968374286193996888940004956768","date":"2025-12-11T14:48:36+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-12-11T05:42:20+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-12-05T11:07:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-17T06:23:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-16T12:50:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Public Health","date":"2025-10-16T12:42:55+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"8cbf3aa6-18e5-40ec-a4c6-fdb0840318a7","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 17th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-07T16:08:14+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7861344","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27227-1","journal":{"identity":"bmc-public-health","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Public Health"},"publishedOn":"2026-04-01 15:58:39","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 1st, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-17 07:12:02","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12889-026-27227-1","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27227-1","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7861344","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7861344","identity":"rs-7861344","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}