The impact of packaging attributes on portion decisions: Consumer values are important.

Research shows that features of food packaging can help to promote healthy food choices. Laboratory-based studies demonstrate that smart design of packaging facilitates portion control. However, the extent to which consumers notice packaging features for portion control is not known. Therefore, this study investigated how individuals interact with food packaging, how they utilise the on-pack serving-size guidelines and how they make portion decisions. To do this, 25 adult participants were recruited to participate in an online semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis until saturation was achieved. Participants reported that they rarely attend to on-pack serving recommendations and indicated some resistance to them. Some structural features (small/single serving, pre-portioned and resealable packaging) were identified as facilitators of portion control. In contrast, the healthiness evaluation of the product from packaging cues was described as a permissive cue to eat more of the product. Participants in this study value their autonomy and control, preferring convenient behavioural choices over recommended portion servings. They also reported future concerns about the effects of their diet on health, but that current context (hunger, convenience) sometimes presented a barrier to healthy eating. Packaging does more than protect its contents, packaging can affect eating decisions to support portion control, and for some, offers permission to overconsume. This study identified ways that participants use packaging to make portion decisions, revealing the role of habits, current context and future health considerations. The interviews revealed the importance of consumer values on food choice in general and portion control in particular. In conclusion, smart food packaging design could use these findings to nudge healthy portion decisions by incorporating consumer values and by recognising consumer needs for habitual, current and future concerns.

Attention to detail: A photo-elicitation study of salience and packaging design for portion control and healthy eating.

Evidence demonstrates that food packaging attracts consumers to purchase and has the potential to nudge consumers towards healthy choices, including reducing portion size. However, food purchasing decisions are often automatic and packaging features may go unnoticed. Therefore, it is important to understand what consumers identify as most salient about packaging: what they notice and why, and which elements might nudge consumers towards healthy options and smaller portions of high-energy-density foods. This study explored consumer perception of food packaging, investigated specific features associated with portion control and elicited design ideas to improve packaging for healthy eating and downsizing. A qualitative approach was adopted applying a participant-driven photo-elicitation (PDPE) task with in-depth interviews. Participants were 25 adults living in the UK (aged 20-32 years; 17 females, 8 males, x ¯ BMI = 23 kg/m2 ). Participants took photographs of 10 food packages according to salience (n = 5) and portion control (n = 5). These were uploaded to a secure site and then discussed at the interview, which was transcribed and analysed. The salience of packaging was described in terms of trust building, stimulating appetite and relating to self-identity, whereas for portion control, themes included structural reminders, healthy prompts and portion awareness. Packaging can be designed to make health value or serving size more salient by prompting portion control and increasing the attractiveness of packaging. While food purchase decisions happen with little deliberation, when probed, consumers provide useful insights for packaging design to assist portion control.

The impact of food packaging on measured food intake: A systematic review of experimental, field and naturalistic studies.

Chronic, excess energy intake contributes to overweight and obesity. Solutions are needed to guide consumers towards portion control, especially for high energy density (HED), palatable foods. Food packaging, a key element of the eating environment, offers a potential solution. To investigate whether packaging design influences measured food intake, a systematic search was undertaken in four electronic databases (Ovid Medline; Ovid PsycInfo; Ovid Embase and Web of Science) across the previous decade. This process yielded 1671 discrete papers, of which 23 articles containing 40 relevant studies were retrieved. Most (n = 36) of the manipulated packaging features influenced consumption quantity with the largest effect sizes observed for packaging which guided consumers either by on-pack cues or structural features. For example, images on the front of the pack, packaging size, as well as partitioning and resealability all helped to reduce food intake. However, individual differences and attentional focus mediate packaging effects. Overall, packaging features can help to limit intake of HED foods and increase intake of nutrient-dense foods (e.g., carrots). Future studies on packaging for portion control (downsizing) might benefit from long term, randomised control trials to test effects outside of the laboratory context and applied to everyday consumer usage.

MicroRNA138 regulates keratin 17 protein expression to affect HaCaT cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting hTERT in psoriasis vulgaris.

The purpose of this study is to explore the how microRNA-138 (miR-138) affects the expression of keratin 17 (K17) and psoriasis development. Twenty-eight skin lesions from patients with psoriasis vulgaris and twenty-four normal skin tissues from healthy controls were collected. The HaCaT cells were assigned into blank, negative control (NC), miR-138 mimic, miR-138 inhibitor, hTERT siRNA and miR-138 inhibitor+hTERT siRNA groups. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the miR-138 expression. The hTERT and K17 protein expression were testified by Western Blotting. MTT assay, flow cytometry with PI single staining and Annexin V/PI double staining were performed to detect the cell proliferation activity, cell cycle and apoptosis, respectively. Compared with the healthy skin, the expression of miR-138 decreased in the psoriatic skin, but hTERT and K17 protein expressions increased. The miR-138 mimic and hTERT siRNA groups showed significantly decreased hTERT and K17 protein expressions, inhibited cell proliferation, increased number of cells at G1 phase and elevated apoptosis rate in comparison to the rest three groups. The hTERT and K17 protein expressions in the miR-138 inhibitor group were up-regulated with promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis rate as compared with the other four groups. In the miR-138 inhibitor+hTERT siRNA group, the hTERT and K17 protein expressions, cell proliferation and apoptosis were intermediate between the miR-138 inhibitor and hTERT siRNA groups. These findings indicated that the expression of miR-138 was lower in the psoriatic skin, which was negatively correlated to K17 expression. MiR-138 may regulate K17 protein expression to affect HaCaT cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting hTERT gene.