Citation
Carrad, Amy M.; Louie, Jimmy Chun Yu; Yeatman, Heather R.; Dunford, Elizabeth K.; Neal, Bruce C.; & Flood, Victoria M. (2016). A Nutrient Profiling Assessment of Packaged Foods Using Two Star-Based Front-of-Pack Labels. Public Health Nutrition, 19(12), 2165-2174.Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare two front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems for the assessment of packaged foods and drinks with Australian Dietary Guidelines.DESIGN: A cross-sectional nutrient profiling assessment. Food and drink products (n 20 225) were categorised into scoring levels using criteria for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) three-star system and the five-star Australian Health Star Rating (HSR). The effectiveness of these systems to categorise foods in accordance with Australian Dietary Guidelines was explored.
SETTING: The study was conducted in Australia, using a comprehensive food database.
SUBJECTS: Packaged food and drink products (n 20 225) available in Australia.
RESULTS: Using the IOM three-star system, the majority (55 %) of products scored the minimum 0 points and 25.5 % scored the maximum 3 points. Using HSR criteria, the greatest proportion of products (15.2 %) scored three-and-a-half stars from a possible five and 12.5 % received the lowest rating of a half-star. Very few products (4.1 %) scored five stars. Products considered core foods and drinks in Australian Dietary Guidelines received higher scores than discretionary foods in all food categories for both labelling systems (all P<0.05; Mann-Whitney U test), with the exception of fish products using IOM three-star criteria (P=0.603). The largest discrepancies in median score between the two systems were for the food categories edible oils, convenience foods and dairy.
CONCLUSIONS: Both the IOM three-star and Australian HSR front-of-pack labelling systems rated packaged foods and drinks broadly in line with Australian Dietary Guidelines by assigning core foods higher ratings and discretionary foods lower ratings.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980015002748Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2016Journal Title
Public Health NutritionAuthor(s)
Carrad, Amy M.Louie, Jimmy Chun Yu
Yeatman, Heather R.
Dunford, Elizabeth K.
Neal, Bruce C.
Flood, Victoria M.