Hubungan Pengetahuan, Kemampuan, dan Kebiasaan Membaca Label Nutrition Facts dengan Kejadian Overweight pada Remaja di MAN 20 Jakarta

Abstract

Overweight among adolescents is an important nutritional concern. The ability to understand Nutrition Facts labels may support adolescents in making appropriate food choices; however, knowledge, ability, and reading habits may not have the same relationship with nutritional status. This study aimed to analyze the associations of knowledge, ability, and habit of reading Nutrition Facts labels with overweight among adolescents at MAN 20 Jakarta. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 68 grade XI students at MAN 20 Jakarta from May to June 2025. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Nutritional status was determined based on body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age). Knowledge, ability, and habit of reading Nutrition Facts labels were assessed using questionnaires. Bivariate analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test with a significance level of p<0.05. Most participants (66.2%) had normal nutritional status. Most participants had good knowledge (50.0%) and ability to read Nutrition Facts labels (55.9%), while the majority had a moderate reading habit (64.7%). Knowledge and habit of reading Nutrition Facts labels were not significantly associated with overweight (p value>0.05). In contrast, ability to read and interpret Nutrition Facts labels was significantly associated with overweight (p value<0.05). The ability to read and interpret Nutrition Facts information is an important aspect associated with overweight among adolescents. School-based nutrition education should emphasize practical skills in understanding serving sizes, interpreting nutrient information, and comparing nutritional information across products to support appropriate food choices.