The presence of the NutriScore on food labels helps consumers to make health choices, that is, to favor the purchase of the most balanced products from a nutritional point of view. Further confirmation comes from the scientific study published on 19.2.20 on Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. (1)
NutriScore, the colors of health
Il Nutriscore - as seen - it is a synthetic nutritional information system, which can be applied on a voluntary basis on the food label front. Each product is qualified with a color tone of the five, from green to orange, and the corresponding letter (from A to E). Based on its nutritional properties.
The system is based on solid scientific literature and aspires to favor the improvement of the diet of the European population. In the face of an epidemic emergency of obesity, overweight and related diseases that are recorded starting from early childhood. 1 minor in 3, in Italy, according to the last Eurispes report.
The colors of health on closer inspection they are all, without exception. Since most foods can provide nutrients and micronutrients useful for making up a balanced diet. Within each product category, however, the color and letter can help you choose the most suitable foods. And the products with an orange code are those to be consumed in less quantity and frequency.
NutriScore and junk food
The primary function of the NutriScore - like gods traffic lights in the UK and the other schemes applied in the various countries (up to the extreme of warning labels Central American) - is to discourage the consumption of ultra-processed food HFSS (High in Fats, Sugar and Sodium).
Junk food indeed it represents more than 68% of the products offered to children throughout Europe, it is addictive e it sends the immune system into a tailspin. Besides cause obesity, serious illness and premature mortality from a variety of causes.
NutriScore and health choices, the scientific study
The scientific study conducted by the University of Nottingham (Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, UK) as the vision of a color code on the front of the label (eg. Nutriscore, traffic-light) effectively induces consumers to choose products with the most suitable nutritional profiles. The color closer to red, in particular, encourages the choice of a different product.
Researchers conducted a test on 858 participants, subjecting them to:
- three alternatives of the same food product, with different combinations of traffic light labels (red, yellow, green), on
- three categories of food products (sandwich prepackaged, breakfast cereals, biscuits).
Participants they were asked to select, in relation to each category, the products considered most preferable from a dietary point of view. And the orange-red color turned out to be even greater than the green one. Since the choice of 'avoiding red' was prevalent over that of 'choosing green'.
Sugar, fat, saturated fat and salt
The research on consumer perception was extended to the elements to which more attention should be paid in order to purchase the most suitable food products for composing a balanced diet.
'We wanted to find out if it were the fats, saturated fats, sugars or salt that consumers most want to avoid and understand if the traffic light label was influencing this decision 'explains nutritionist Ola Anabtawi, who coordinated the research.
Sugar it turned out to be the macronutrient considered most important by the participants. (2) Foods with a high sugar content were in fact perceived as the worst for health, while those excessive in fat, saturated fat and salt raised fewer concerns. Although the intake of saturated fat and salt, as evidenced by the international scientific community, must be monitored with equal attention. (3)
'Despite the lack of knowledge of the criteria underlying the NutriScore, participants' decisions about the healthiness of food products were significantly influenced by its information about sugar content. Therefore, the NutriScore appears to address consumer beliefs in the absence of adequate knowledge ' (Ola Anabtawi, Ph.D., coordinator of the study mentioned in note 1).
Provisional conclusions
The results of the research show how the traffic light labeling system actually exerts an important influence on consumer choices. In the sense of directing them towards the choice of more balanced food products from a nutritional point of view.
Food education however, it is still scarce, in the sample of participants undergoing the study as elsewhere. Therefore, priority attention must be given to this issue, through special education and public information campaigns. Starting from the educational institutions, from whose complexes the presence of junk food, following the example of India.
THEadoption of the system NutriScore at the European level - surpassing the miscellany of similar schemes which still apply in the various EU Member States - may contribute to the mitigation of obesity, overweight and related diseases. By promoting food consumption choices that are more in keeping with the nutritional needs of the European population, on the basis of which to organize information campaigns that are all the more effective as they are shared at the macro-regional level.
Dario Dongo and Martina Novelli
Footnotes
(1) Anabtawi, O., Swift, JA, Hemmings, S., Gertson, L. & Raaff, C. (2020). Perceived healthiness of food items and the traffic light front of pack nutrition labeling: choice ‐ based conjoint analysis and cross ‐ sectional survey. J Hum Nutr Diet. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12741
(2) On the dangers associated with salt in excess, see previous articles https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/troppo-sale-nella-dieta-causa-infarto-e-tumori-ecco-come-mettersi-al-sicuro, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/il-sale-favorisce-il-diabete, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/il-sale-nuoce, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/ecco-come-l-eccesso-di-sale-favorisce-demenza-e-alzheimer, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/troppo-sale-ai-bambini-sotto-accusa-pane-e-cereali
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Graduated in International Relations at the Sapienza University of Rome, she followed the Master in Law & Foody Safety of the University of Bologna.
