Consumer's Undestanding Toward Nutrition Label in Toddler Formula Milk

Abstract

The toddler is a transition part where the child is moving from infancy stage into the preschool stage. To support this stage, mothers can give their child formula milk as a part of their child's diet. Nutritional knowledge is essential for the mothers to help to choose the best formula milk for their child by using the nutrition label. The objective of this study was to assess mothers’ understanding toward nutrition label and its role in choosing toddler formula milk. A self-administered online questionnaire was used to assess the toddler nutrition and nutrition label knowledge level and influencing factors that might affect them during formula milk purchase. Demographic data of the respondents and their child nutritional status were also recorded. Most of the respondents’ age was within 30-34 years old (n=250). The percentage of children with stunting condition was 51%, of wasting 12% and of overweight 15.6%. In regards to the nutritional knowledge, 83.13% and 41.39% of respondents can answer correctly about toddler nutrition and nutrition label knowledge respectively. Though 72% of total respondent agreed that nutrient content of the formula milk was the most paid attention to when respondents buy formula milk products, the association between the nutritional knowledge and the use of the nutrition label was not statistically different. In conclusion, the nutrition label knowledge of the respondents shall be improved. Socialization of the practical use of the nutrition label in terms of choosing formula milk might be needed.