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As January comes to an end, those who vowed to eat better in 2015 have probably already given up. Not very surprising, considering that most people grossly underestimate the amount of calories they consume, and underestimate their fat, salt and sugar consumption, even after consulting nutrition labels.

The truth is, even when Canadians want to make healthier choices, many don’t know how to begin. And our food labels don’t help.

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Studies show that most Canadians don’t comprehend the per cent daily value or the variety of units (g, ml, percentages) common on food nutrition labels. One Canadian study showed that less than half of participants could identify the number of calories in a soft-drink bottle even after consulting the nutritional labels. Half of participants who saw a “110 calories per serving” label believed this was the number of calories for the entire bottle, when, in fact, the bottle in question contained several servings.