Complementarity between the updated version of the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score and the food-processing NOVA classification

Barthélemy Sarda; Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot; Valérie Deschamps; Pauline Ducrot; Pilar Galan; Serge Hercberg; Melanie Deschasaux-Tanguy; Bernard Srour; Leopold K Fezeu; Mathilde Touvier; Chantal Julia

doi:10.1017/S1368980024000296

Public Health Nutrition (Jan 2024)

Complementarity between the updated version of the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score and the food-processing NOVA classification

Barthélemy Sarda,
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot,
Valérie Deschamps,
Pauline Ducrot,
Pilar Galan,
Serge Hercberg,
Melanie Deschasaux-Tanguy,
Bernard Srour,
Leopold K Fezeu,
Mathilde Touvier,
Chantal Julia

Affiliations

Barthélemy Sarda: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Valérie Deschamps: Nutritional Epidemiology Surveillance Team (ESEN), Santé publique France, The French Public Health Agency, Bobigny, France
Pauline Ducrot: Santé publique France, French National Public Health Agency, Saint- Maurice, France
Pilar Galan: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Serge Hercberg: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France Public health Department, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Bobigny, France
Melanie Deschasaux-Tanguy: ORCiD; Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Bernard Srour: ORCiD; Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Leopold K Fezeu: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Mathilde Touvier: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France
Chantal Julia: ORCiD; Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité, INSERM, INRAE, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, F-93017 Bobigny, France Public health Department, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Bobigny, France

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980024000296
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 27

Abstract

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Abstract Objective: To compare the initial and the updated versions of the front-of-pack label Nutri-Score (related to the nutritional content) with the NOVA classification (related to the degree of food processing) at the food level. Design: Using the OpenFoodFacts database – 129,950 food products – we assessed the complementarity between the Nutri-Score (initial and updated) with the NOVA classification through a correspondence analysis. Contingency tables between the two classification systems were used. Settings: The food offer in France. Participants: Not applicable. Results: With both versions (i.e. initial and updated) of the Nutri-Score, the majority of ultra-processed products received medium to poor Nutri-Score ratings (between 77·9 % and 87·5 % of ultra-processed products depending on the version of the algorithm). Overall, the update of the Nutri-Score algorithm led to a reduction in the number of products rated A and B and an increase in the number of products rated D or E for all NOVA categories, with unprocessed foods being the least impacted (–3·8 percentage points (–5·2 %) rated A or B and +1·3 percentage points (+12·9 %) rated D or E) and ultra-processed foods the most impacted (–9·8 percentage points (–43·4 %) rated A or B and +7·8 percentage points (+14·1 %) rated D or E). Among ultra-processed foods rated favourably with the initial Nutri-Score, artificially sweetened beverages, sweetened plant-based drinks and bread products were the most penalised categories by the revision of Nutri-Score while low-sugar flavoured waters, fruit and legume preparations were the least affected. Conclusion: These results indicate that the update of the Nutri-Score reinforces its coherence with the NOVA classification, even though both systems measure two distinct health dimensions at the food level.

Published in Public Health Nutrition

ISSN: 1368-9800 (Print); 1475-2727 (Online)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine; Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Website: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition

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