Adding ultra-processed foods to nutrition labeling systems will offset the “health halo effect”

Simple changes to the Health Star Rating (HSR) system to take ultra-processing into account would reduce the high scores currently given to many unhealthy foods, according to a new study. Published Today is Nutrition and diet.

Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health said the system would bring Australia's main nutrition labelling scheme more in line with the globally recognised NOVA scheme.

The researchers modified the HSR system's algorithm to reduce or cap the points awarded to foods classified as ultra-processed in the NOVA system. After re-rating 25,486 products in the FoodSwitch database, they downgraded the ratings of many less healthy products, including protein bars and bowls, sugary cereals, refined “white” bread and diet soft drinks.

The adjusted model improved overall alignment between Health Star Ratings and NOVA, with up to 22% more products now aligned (88% versus 66% under the current HSR system).

“The current HSR system reasonably reflects the sugar, salt and saturated fat content of foods and drinks, but tells us nothing about how ultra-processed they are,” said Dr Eden Barrett, a food policy researcher at the George Institute and lead author of the study, a registered dietitian.

In the current system, manufacturers produce isolated fiber, protein, and Artificial sweeteners This can increase the HSR and create a “health halo” effect. With mounting evidence on the long-term harmful effects of ultra-processing, it is important to address this potentially misleading message. Food Labels.

“We found that modifying the HSR algorithm resulted in the most problematic products being rated lower, reducing confusion for consumers,” she said.

Foods that may score lower when ultra-processing is taken into account in the HSR include:

However, this change also reduced the HSR for other foods, such as packaged wholemeal bread and similar cereal and grain products. Although these foods now meet the definition of ultra-processed foods, studies show that they do not appear to be associated with poorer health outcomes. Further development of the algorithm may need to take into account ongoing evidence in this area.

“We continue to push for the mandatory Health Star Rating, otherwise; Food Industry “Labeling will continue to be provided on only selected foods,” said Dr Alexandra Jones, food policy program leader at the George Institute and lecturer in public health law at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

“We also recognise that the scoring system needs to be regularly reviewed in line with developments in nutrition science, and this study provides a practical way to consider ultra-processing as an important factor in any future updates.”

Ultra-processed foods are characterized as products that are industrially manufactured using a variety of chemical and physical processing techniques. They typically contain food substances that are never or rarely used in the home kitchen, cosmetic additives that alter the texture and sensory properties of the food, and contain large amounts of refined starch, added salt, and added sugar.

These unhealthy foods can make it harder to feel full and encourage overeating, and consuming industrial food additives can alter your gut flora and increase inflammation.

A diet high in ultra-processed foods has been linked to many serious long-term health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and heart disease. High-income countriesUltra-processed foods are known to account for 30%-60% of total energy intake, and at least seven countries recommend limiting the consumption of ultra-processed foods in their national dietary guidelines.

Consideration of super-processing was suggested in the last review in 2019 of the Health Star Rating algorithm, now in its 10th year, but was limited by a lack of practical proposals on how to achieve this.

“Given the growing consumer and public health interest in this area, our study contributes new and concrete proposals for how ultra-processing could be incorporated into existing scoring systems,” Dr Barrett said.

“The Health Star Rating algorithm should not be seen as something that can be set and forgotten, but as a model that can and should be continually improved to reflect the latest evidence and improve its ability to distinguish healthier from less healthy products.”