Joseph Higgins, graduate student in the Nutrition and Food Science (NFS) department, and Dr. Mary Roseman, associate professor in the NFS department, recently presented a concept paper at the Southeast Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (SECHRIE) Conference in Atlanta. The conference serves as a forum for researchers to receive feedback from their colleagues on their research questions and methods or on completed research projects.
"SECHRIE's conference is an excellent collegial forum for faculty and graduate students to present and discuss timely research topics," stated Dr. Roseman. "It often leads to new ideas and future collaborations within our field."
The paper, titled "Proposed Study to Determine Consumers Opinion of Restaurant Nutrition Labeling," will examine nutrition labeling from a consumers perspective. Customer's opinions have not been thoroughly researched, and the paper will have three objectives:
- To determine if participants prefer nutritional information on restaurant menus.
- To identify the amount of nutritional information consumers prefer on restaurant menus.
- To determine if nutritional information on restaurant menus leads to healthier selections.
Obesity has risen in recent years, especially in Kentucky. In addition, Americans are purchasing a snack or meal away from home 5.8 times a week on average. Better understanding of consumers' opinion of restaurant nutrition labeling is an important and timely research topic.
The Department of Nutrition and Food Science offers a multidisciplinary approach to human nutrition, dietetics, food systems, health related sciences, and hospitality and tourism management for improving the well being of individuals, families, and communities.