Abstract

We examine how ability to perform nutrition related tasks (i.e. tasks that involve extracting information from the label or use the label for dietary management tasks), among nutritional label users, may affect diet quality. We view the inability to perform nutrition tasks as a constraint in improving the dietary quality of individuals. We then consider the simultaneous determination of the ability to perform nutrition tasks and diet quality by using a simultaneous equation model. Our results suggest that ability to perform nutrition related tasks does not affect dietary quality, although this finding is insignificant at the margin. We also find that several demographic factors can affect ability to perform tasks as well as diet quality. Consumer welfare and public policy implications are also discussed.