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Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Policies and Education for Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 February 2024) | Viewed by 23455

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Prof. Dr. Ana Belén Ropero

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Guest Editor

Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain
Interests: nutrient composition; nutrition quality; nutrition claims; health claims; nutrient profile models; food database
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite contributions of original research or reviews to the Special Issue "Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods". In order for consumers to eat more healthy, healthy foods must be available on the market. In addition, proper nutrition information must be available for them.

The prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases in the world is overwhelming. Unhealthy eating is one of the main factors contributing to these diseases worldwide.

The abundance of unhealthy food on the market is an important limitation for consumers to pursue a healthy diet. Institutions are trying to promote programmes to improve the nutrition quality of food products. For this purpose, the study of the nutrient composition of foods in the market is required, as well as to classify foods as healthy or unhealthy. The latter is achieved by the use of nutrient profile/profiling models.

In addition to these efforts, consumers are provided with several tools to use on their own. The nutrition declaration is compulsory in many countries and front-of-pack labelling is being promoted to simplify the interpretation of the values displayed. Nutrition and health claims are also widely used by the industry.

This special issue aims at providing valuable research on these topics. Manuscripts on food nutrient composition and nutrient profile/profiling models are welcome to unveil the nutrition quality of foods in the market. In addition, works on nutrition information of foods for costumers, such as nutrition declaration, nutrition and health claims as well as front-of-pack labelling are also encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Ana Belén Ropero
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

nutrient profile/profiling models
nutrient composition
nutrition declaration
nutrition and health claims
front-of-pack labelling

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutri-Score of Meat, Fish, and Dairy Alternatives: A Comparison between the Old and New Algorithm

by Sylvie Huybers and Annet J. C. Roodenburg

Nutrients 2024, 16(6), 892; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16060892 - 19 Mar 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1984

Abstract

Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack label that visualizes the nutritional quality of food products from most healthy (A, dark green) to least healthy (E, red). However, concerns have been raised about discrepancies between Nutri-Score labels and dietary recommendations. Therefore, the Nutri-Score algorithm has recently been adapted. To investigate the effect of the new algorithm, the Nutri-Score of plant-based meat, fish, and dairy alternatives (n = 916) was calculated with the old and new algorithms. In addition, the nutritional values of meat and milk alternatives with Nutri-Score labels A and B were compared under the old and new conditions and subsequently assessed for alignment with the criteria of Dutch dietary guidelines. The new algorithm resulted in a reduction in the number of products with labels A and B, ranging from 5% (cold cuts alternatives) to 55% (milk alternatives). The nutritional composition of products with labels A and B improved for meat alternatives (lower energy and saturated fatty acid contents; higher protein content) and milk alternatives (lower energy, salt, and sugar contents; higher protein and fiber contents). Overall, the new Nutri-Score algorithm is more in line with the Dutch dietary guidelines for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, though challenges remain with respect to micronutrient (iron, calcium, vitamin B12), salt, and protein contents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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15 pages, 1251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Chinese Processed Meat Products: Comparison of Two Nutrient Profile Models

by Xin Ding, Wanting Lv, Yang Liu, Ying Lu, Yajun Liu, Hanning Li, Beilei Cai, Junhua Han, Yuexin Yang, Chao Gao and Zhu Wang

Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050578 - 20 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1329

Abstract

Processed meat products are one of the most consumed pre-packaged foods in China. They are also group-1 carcinogens, whose consumption has proved to be positively associated with the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The purpose of this study is to analyze the nutrient content on the food label of processed meat products based on the China Standardized Database for the Composition of Pre-packaged Food and the National Open Database of the UK and France. The Chilean front-of-pack warning label (FOPWL) and the Chinese Healthier Choice Logo were used to compare the nutrient content of processed meat products from the three countries. It was found that cured meat products have the highest median energy (483 kcal/100 g), total fat content (38.7 g/100 g), and sodium content (2076 mg/100 g) and dried meat products have the highest median protein content (30.2 g/100 g) and carbohydrate content (38.2 g/100 g). In addition, there were significant differences in energy content and contents of total fat, protein, and carbohydrate across different products of the three countries (p < 0.001). A large number of processed meat products currently collected did not meet the criteria of the Chilean FOPWL and the Chinese Healthier Choice Logo. This study provided information on the healthiness of Chinese processed meat products and provided data for improving food formulations for different categories of processed meat products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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11 pages, 520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Brazilian Front-of-Package Labeling: A Product Compliance Analysis 12 Months after Implementation of Regulations

by Marcos Vinícius Garcia Senda, António Raposo, Edite Teixeira-Lemos, Cláudia Chaves, Hmidan A. Alturki, Zayed D. Alsharari and Bernardo Romão

Nutrients 2024, 16(3), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030343 - 24 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1721

Abstract

This study investigated the presence of front-of-package labeling on food products in major retailers in Brazil after its implementation in 2022. Carried out from May to October 2023, we analyzed 2145 products of brands present in five Brazilian states. A total of 541 products presented front-of-package warnings. The categories varied in their adherence to front-of-package labeling, highlighting a prevalence of combined warnings, such as high in added sugar and high in saturated fat on sweet biscuits and chocolates. Sausages showed a high prevalence of high in sodium and high in saturated fat warnings. Beverages stood out as high in added sugar, while fats, dairy products, frozen preparations, seasonings, and sauces presented diversity in the warnings. Other products, such as panettone, showed a high presence of alerts. The study demonstrated the widespread presence of front-of-package labeling on ultra-processed products highly consumed by the Brazilian population. Considering the alarming presence of these foods in the Brazilian diet, it is concluded that front-of-package nutrition labeling is crucial to inform and raise awareness among consumers, allowing healthier choices and potentially contributing to a reduction in chronic diseases and the costs associated with treatment in the health system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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12 pages, 918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Contributing to the Comprehensive Use of Food Labels in Jordan

by Amjad Rashaideh, Mohammed Al-Nusair, Ahmad Ali Alrawashdeh, Taha Rababah, Adi Khassawneh, Yazan Akkam, Ayoub Al Jawaldeh, Jomana W. Alsulaiman and Khalid A. Kheirallah

Nutrients 2023, 15(23), 4893; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234893 - 23 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1495

Abstract

Food labels are low-cost, informational tools that can help curb the spread of diet-related non-communicable diseases. This study described consumers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to food labels in Jordan and explored the relationship between knowledge and attitude with comprehensive use of food labels. A cross-sectional, online survey assessed Jordanian adult consumers’ ability to comprehend the nutritional contents of food labels (knowledge score), their attitudes towards food labels (attitude scale), and how frequently they used different parts of food labels (practice scale). Multivariate logistic regression models assessed predictors of comprehensive use of food labels. A total of 939 adults participated in the study. Total mean scores for the practice scale (14 questions), attitude scale (8 questions), and knowledge score (4 questions) were 49.50 (SD, 11.36; min, 5; max, 70), 29.70 (SD, 5.23; min, 5; max, 40), and 1.39 (SD, 1.33; min, 0; max, 4), respectively. Comprehensive users of food labels (26.4%) were more likely female, responsible for grocery shopping, and had higher mean knowledge and attitude scores. Jordanian consumers seem to have good practices and attitudes related to food label use but suboptimal knowledge regarding content. Future interventions should focus more on enhancing knowledge and awareness related to food labels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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9 pages, 278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Ontario Menu Labelling Regulations on Nutritional Quality of Chain Restaurant Menu Items—Cross-Sectional Examination

by Yahan Yang, Mavra Ahmed and Mary R. L’Abbé

Nutrients 2023, 15(18), 3992; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15183992 - 15 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1247

Abstract

Restaurant foods are associated with excessive energy intake and poor nutritional quality. In 2017, the Healthy Menu Choices Act mandated food service establishments with ≥20 outlets in Ontario to display the energy content on menus. To examine the potential impact of menu labelling, nutrition information for 18,760 menu items were collected from 88 regulated and 53 unregulated restaurants. Descriptive statistics were calculated for serving size, energy, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars. Quantile regression was used to determine the differences between regulated and unregulated restaurants. The energy content of menu items from regulated restaurants (median (95% CI): 320 kcal (310, 320)) was significantly lower than those from unregulated restaurants (470 kcal (460, 486), p < 0.001). Saturated fat, sodium and total sugars were significantly lower in regulated restaurants (4 g (4, 4), 480 mg (470, 490) and 7 g (6, 7), respectively) than in unregulated restaurants (6 g (6, 6), 830 mg (797, 862) and 8 g (8, 9), respectively, p < 0.001). This study showed that menu items from regulated restaurants had smaller serving size, lower levels of energy and nutrients of public health concern compared to those from the unregulated restaurants, suggesting potential downstream beneficial effects of menu labelling in lowering caloric content and nutrients of public health concern in foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

16 pages, 712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional Description of Processed Foods with Fibre-Related Nutrition Claims in Spain: The BADALI Project

by Ana B. Ropero, Fernando Borrás, Marta Rodríguez and Marta Beltrá

Nutrients 2023, 15(16), 3656; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15163656 - 20 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2210

Abstract

Fibre is one of the most beneficial nutrients for health and is very frequently used in nutrition claims (NCs) to promote foods. These claims may lead consumers to believe that products bearing them are healthy and/or healthier than those without them. The main objective of this work is to address this belief. This is the first exhaustive analysis of seven processed food types with fibre-related NCs (six cereal-based and one plant-based meat analogues) comparing them with those without these claims. The Spanish Food Database, BADALI, was used for this study. Results show that as many as 88.7% of processed foods with fibre-related NCs are classified as ‘less healthy’ according to the Nutrient Profile Model developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO-NPM). When compared to foods without these NCs, similar results were obtained in the whole sample. Most of the observed divergences when analysing individual critical nutrients by food type indicate a deterioration of the nutritional quality. Foods with fibre-related NCs contained more fibre. The more frequent use of whole grain cereals or other fibre-specific ingredients may contribute to this. Some other nutritionally relevant differences were observed and half of them reflected a deterioration of the nutritional quality. In addition, these foods presented a lower prevalence of the organic version, as well as similar rates of mineral and vitamin fortification. Therefore, processed foods with fibre-related NCs are not healthy, nor present a better nutritional profile than those without. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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18 pages, 642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional Description of Organic and Conventional Food Products in Spain: The BADALI Project

by Ana B. Ropero, Fernando Borrás, Marta Rodríguez and Marta Beltrá

Nutrients 2023, 15(8), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081876 - 13 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3310

Abstract

Organic food and drink is undoubtedly a growing market. Consumers perceive organic food as healthy, and nutrition claims (NCs) and fortification may add to this perception. Whether this is true is still a matter of controversy, particularly for organic food products. We present here the first comprehensive study of large samples of six specific organic food types, analysing the nutritional quality (nutrient composition and “healthiness”) as well as the use of NCs and fortification. In parallel, a comparison with conventional food is also carried out. For this purpose, the Food Database of products in the Spanish market, BADALI, was used. Four cereal-based and two dairy-substitute food types were analysed. Our results show that as many as 81% of organic foods are considered “less healthy” by the Pan American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model (PAHO-NPM). Organic foods present a slightly improved nutrient profile compared to conventional foods. However, many of the differences, though statistically significant, are nutritionally irrelevant. Organic foods use NCs very frequently, more than conventional foods, with very little micronutrient fortification. The main conclusion of this work is that consumers’ perception that organic food products are healthy is unfounded from a nutritional point of view. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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14 pages, 1879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study

by Dieuwerke Bolhuis, Ana Carolina Mosca and Nicoletta Pellegrini

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4438; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204438 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3629

Abstract

Consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has been associated with lower diet quality, obesity, and adverse health effects. Not much is known about how consumers evaluate the degree of processing of a food product and how they relate this to healthiness. An online questionnaire was completed by a total of 277 Dutch, 204 Italian, and 181 Brazilian consumers. Consumers were aged 18–65 year, mean 38 ± 13 year, 31% were males, and 71% were highly educated. Pictures of several common food products were evaluated on the degree of industrial processing and healthiness. Thirteen food categories were included, each including one minimally processed food (MPF), one High NS_UPF (Nutri-Score A or B), and one Low NS_UPF (Nutri-Score D or E). Lastly, knowledge and attitude about UPFs were assessed. Ultraprocessing was perceived as unhealthy by the majority of consumers (Dutch, Italian: 55%; Brazilian: 75%) and contributed to weight gain according to: 38% Dutch, 51% Italian, and 70% Brazilian consumers. Low NS_UPFs were correctly rated toward “processed” and “not healthy” in all countries. High NS_UPF were rated as processed but showed large variations in healthiness scores. In conclusion, consumers rated UPFs relatively low in healthiness compared with MPFs with similar Nutri-Scores within the same food category. These preliminary findings suggest that consumers incorporate, to some extent, the degree of industrial processing while assessing the healthiness of food products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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17 pages, 2888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“No Child or Adult Would Ever Probably Choose to Have 16 Teaspoons of Sugar”: A Preliminary Study of Parents’ Responses to Sugary Drink Warning Label Options

by Caroline Miller, Joanne Dono, Kathleen Wright, Simone Pettigrew, Melanie Wakefield, John Coveney, Gary Wittert, David Roder, Sarah Durkin, Jane Martin and Kerry Ettridge

Nutrients 2022, 14(19), 4173; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194173 - 7 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2447

Abstract

Front-of-pack (FoP) warning labels are a viable policy option with the potential to inform consumer choice and assist in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption as part of a multi-faceted approach. This study explored parents’ perceptions and understanding of a range of SSB warning labels. Focus groups (n = 12) with 82 parents of school-aged children were conducted, stratified according to education level, sex and location. Health effects, exercise equivalents, sugar content (teaspoons in text and pictograms, “high in”) and energy content labels were shown. Through thematic analysis we identified three themes. Theme 1 related to perceptions of effectiveness of labels, underpinned by four subthemes: perceptions of labels as credible, informative and useful, personally relevant and having the potential to change be haviour. Theme 2 related to participants finding opportunities for self-exemption (e.g., physically active) and message rejection (e.g., misinterpretation). Theme 3 encompassed the potential negative consequences of some labels (e.g., body image concerns). The text teaspoons label was perceived most favourably across all themes, with minimal negative issues raised. These results provide in-depth insight into potential responses to labelling as a policy intervention, providing important guidance for the development of labels to ensure optimal message content and framing for future testing and subsequent implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

Review

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17 pages, 678 KiB

Open AccessReview

Is Dietary (Food) Supplement Intake Reported in European National Nutrition Surveys?

by Eleni Maria Papatesta, Anastasia Kanellou, Eleni Peppa and Antonia Trichopoulou

Nutrients 2023, 15(24), 5090; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245090 - 13 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2798

Abstract

Dietary (food) supplements (DSs) have seen a sharp increase in use and popularity in recent years. Information on DS consumption is vital for national nutrition monitoring. The objective of this study was to investigate whether DS intake was reported in the National Nutrition Surveys (NNSs) in all European countries. NNSs reporting DS use were retrieved via literature review (i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus), scientific and organizational publications (EFSA), or open-published government and other official reports. Included were the European NNSs referring to adults, published in English, French, or German, post-2000. Out of the 53 European countries, 30 recorded DS intake. Among them, related findings on the percentage of DS intake were published in 21 cases, 5 of them written in the local language. DS use varied by nation, with Finland and Denmark having the greatest (over 50%) and Italy having the lowest percentage (5%). In terms of comprehensive reported data on DS consumption in Europe and the investigation of the contribution of DSs to total nutrient intake, there is a need for improvement. Common DS categories should be defined upon agreement among the involved scientific parties to allow for comparable data and estimations between surveys. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eat More Healthily: Nutrition Quality and Nutrition Information of Foods)

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