<![CDATA[Reading processed food labels is an important part of making healthier food choices, yet university students' practice remains suboptimal. This study aimed to analyze differences in knowledge and compliance with processed food label reading among final-year students from seven departments at the Politeknik Kesehatan Kementerian Kesehatan Jakarta II. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 students selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using valid and reliable questionnaires assessing knowledge and compliance with processed food label reading. Differences across departments were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by the Mann-Whitney test when significant differences were identified. The results showed significant differences in knowledge and compliance with processed food label reading across departments (p<0.001). Nutrition students showed the highest compliance, while Electromedical Engineering students had the highest mean knowledge score. Overall, students were more likely to read expiration dates and product names than nutritional information. These findings indicate that academic background is associated with variations in food label literacy, while adequate knowledge does not necessarily translate into consistent label-reading behavior. Improving food label literacy among health students should therefore emphasize the ability to understand and apply label information in making healthier food choices.]]>
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