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Consumers Seek Nutrition Info Less Often, Except About Fiber

A U.S. Department of Agriculture study that examines how frequently consumers use data on nutrition labels finds that dietary fiber information is the only labeling component to have seen an increase during the 10-year period between 1995-96 and 2005-06.

Use of the "Nutrition Facts" panel fell 3 percentage points during the period. There was an 11% decline in use of the ingredients list, and a 10% decline for the panel's information about calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The percentage decrease was greatest for health claims (17%). Use of information about sugar remained steady. Fiber, on the other hand, saw an increase of 2%.

Interest in dietary fiber has been increasing with scientific studies linking increased intake to reduced risks of cancers such as colorectal and cardiovascular disease. Soluble fiber in particular has been researched for its benefits to digestive health, as well as weight management since it can boost satiety -- that is, help the consumer feel fuller for longer and reducing the tendency to snack.

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