Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42266625›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in nutrition2026

Effectiveness of front-of-pack nutrition labels in Saudi Arabia: a comparative study.

Nahla Mohammed Bawazeer, Abeer Salman Alzaben, Shahd Alabdulkader, Fatmah Almoayad, Abeer A Aljahdali, Mona Alatawi, Ohood Mahdi Hussain Mobaraki, Fatmah Abdullah Alrayes, Nada Benajiba

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Nahla Mohammed BawazeerDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abeer Salman AlzabenDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shahd AlabdulkaderDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fatmah AlmoayadDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abeer A AljahdaliDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Mona AlatawiDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, King Khalid Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Ohood Mahdi Hussain MobarakiDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Medical City, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Fatmah Abdullah AlrayesFood Service Department, Eastern Health Cluster, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Nada BenajibaUnité Mixte de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation URAC 39 (Université Ibn Tofaïl-CNESTEN), RDC-Nutrition, Kenitra, Morocco.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate Saudi consumers' understanding and food choices based on five FoPL systems using a validated methodology adapted from the international FOP-ICE (Front-Of-Pack International Comparative Experimental) study. Methods: An online survey was administered to 1,500 Saudi adults (≥18 years) from all five regions. Eligible participants regularly purchased yoghurt, biscuits, or breakfast cereals. Participants were randomly assigned to view products with or without FoPLs and completed a structured questionnaire assessing their food choices and label understanding. Results: Among respondents, 56.9% were female, and 47.4% were primarily responsible for grocery shopping. The greatest improvement in correct product choices was observed with the Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) label (31%), followed by Health Warnings (28%) and Nutri-Score (27%). The strongest associations with accurate nutritional ranking were observed for MTL (OR = 2.18, Conclusion: All FoPL systems improved food choices compared with no labelling. MTL, Health Warnings, and Nutri-Score were the most effective and well-received. MTL showed strong potential to guide healthier choices, whereas Nutri-Score may gain impact through broader public education and awareness.

Indexed as

food labellingFoPLfront-of-pack nutrition labelNutri-ScoreSaudi Arabia

Identifiers

PMID42266625
PMCPMC13244670

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.