I’m kind of surprised that the low-carb craze still has a hold on some consumers, but apparently a low-carb label claim may lead people to think a food is healthier than it is.

In a study published in the September/October issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, researchers used an online questionnaire to survey 4,320 people about the perceived healthfulness of foods and their role in weight management, based solely on front-of-package claims. They found that low-carb claims led to a belief that the product was healthier in terms of weight control and calorie content.

It kind of amazes me that Dr. Atkins died in 2003 and we’re still trying to teach people that “low-carb” does not automatically mean “low calorie.” I mean, seriously?

The takeaway for me was that the researchers felt that their findings reflected a need to educate consumers on the importance of reading the full label and not just the health claims on the front. Just going on the big-letter, bold-faced words the food companies put on the front of the box aren’t enough to guarantee you’re getting something healthy.

You can read more here.