Food Packaging Health Claims May Mislead Patients, Not Indicate Healthiness

Strategic Insights -

A study published in PRiMER finds that food packaging health claims are not associated with the healthiness of foods, and primary care physicians should not rely on these claims to guide patients' shopping choices. Researchers from State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University analyzed 597 food items from Walmart.com and found that health claims on front packaging did not reliably indicate healthier food choices. Instead, physicians are advised to recommend patients choose foods from known healthy categories, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, and ignore front-of-package health claims.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed 597 food items from Walmart.com, covering 122 categories of commonly consumed foods and beverages in the US.
  • Two researchers analyzed each product's front packaging to identify US Food and Drug Administration-approved health claims, nutritional content claims, and functional claims.
  • The number of packaging health claims was not associated with the healthiness of foods in aggregate or within any of the 11 standard food and beverage categories.
  • Food categories perceived as healthy (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains) generally scored higher in healthfulness compared to categories associated with less healthy choices (e.g., snacks, sweets, fats, and oils).
  • Researchers recommend that primary care physicians advise patients to choose foods from known healthy categories and ignore front-of-package health claims.
  • This study has been peer-reviewed and published in PRiMER, Volume 9, Issue 41.

Statistics:

  • 597 food items were analyzed in the study, covering 122 categories of commonly consumed foods and beverages in the US.
  • 11 standard food and beverage categories were evaluated, including fruits, vegetables, grains, snacks, sweets, fats, and oils.
  • The Nutri-Score scheme was used to derive an overall numerical nutritional score for each product, representing healthiness.
  • 801 health claims were identified on the front packaging of analyzed food items.

Sources:

  • Do Food Packaging Health Claims Depict Healthiness or Mislead Patients? PRiMER, 2025;9:41.
  • NewsRx. Studies in the Area of Medical Education Reported from State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University (Do Food Packaging Health Claims Depict Healthiness or Mislead Patients?). Health & Medicine Week. October 31, 2025; p 816.