scholarly journals Destigmatizing Carbohydrate with Food Labeling: The Use of Non-Mandatory Labelling to Highlight Quality Carbohydrate Foods

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher P.F. Marinangeli ◽  
Scott V. Harding ◽  
Andrea J. Glenn ◽  
Laura Chiavaroli ◽  
Andreea Zurbau ◽  
...  

Dietary carbohydrates are components of healthy foods, but many carbohydrate foods have recently been stigmatized as primary causes of diet-related risk factors for chronic disease. There is an opportunity to enhance efforts within the food landscape to encourage the consumption of higher quality carbohydrate foods. The use of labelling is one strategy that permits consumers to identify healthy carbohydrate foods at the point-of-purchase. This review discusses the regulatory frameworks and examples of associated non-mandatory food labelling claims that are currently employed to highlight healthy carbohydrate foods to consumers. The existing labelling frameworks discussed here align with established measures of carbohydrate quality, such as 1. dietary fibre nutrient content claims and associated dietary fibre-based health claims; 2. the presence of whole carbohydrate foods and ingredients that are intact or reconstituted, such as whole grains; and 3. low glycemic index and glycemic response claims. Standards from Codex Alimentarius, and regulations from Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Europe, and the United States will be used to illustrate the means by which food labelling can be used by consumers to identify quality carbohydrate foods.

2000 ◽  
Vol 83 (S1) ◽  
pp. S181-S186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åke Bruce

The remarkable increase over the past 40 years in some chronic diseases, including the metabolic syndrome, has increased the demand for government and international policies to encourage various approaches to decrease the risk of these diseases. There are some prerequisites for working out successful national food and nutrition policies. Firstly, it is necessary to have a clear picture of the dietary pattern in a country and its associated public health problems. Based on these data, nutrient recommendations and goals are formulated by international or national scientific committees. Governments should translate these nutrient goals into food goals and eventually into national dietary guidelines. The means by which the national authorities can implement a nutrition policy include fortification and supplementation. Equally important are educational and informative tools, such as labelling on the packed food products including information about ingredients and nutrient content. With respect to the metabolic syndrome, this implies nutrient recommendations regarding the intake of fat and carbohydrates (energy per cent) and dietary fibre; dietary guidelines regarding balance between energy intake and expenditure; decreased consumption of products rich in fat and increased consumption of cereals and other products rich in dietary fibre, etc.; recommendations from the authorities regarding nutrient labelling (content of fat and dietary fibre) on relevant products; and nutrient and health claims and other aids (symbols) as tools to make it easier for consumers to select the appropriate food products.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Krobath ◽  
William Masters ◽  
Megan Mueller

Abstract Objectives This study concerns how the description of foods on restaurant menus relates to their nutrient content as disclosed on company websites. We aimed to test halo effects, regarding how claims about some desirable features might be associated with the presence of other attributes. Methods We used item descriptions and nutrient data for food items (n = 92,949) at the top-selling restaurant chains (n = 92) from 2012 through 2017 in the United States, compiled by the MenuStat project. We classified items into 4 types (mains, appetizers, desserts, sides) and claims into 3 groups using 29 search terms based on consumer interests in health (e.g., “nutritious”), product sourcing (e.g., “local” or “organic”), and vegetal items (vegetarian or vegan). Nutrient data focus on 4 dietary recommendations to limit sodium (mg), trans-fat (g) and saturated fats (% of energy), and to increase fiber (g). We also report calories per item (kcal) and its share from carbohydrates, protein and total fat (%). We used multiple regression to test whether nutrient content was associated with menu claims, controlling for year and restaurant brand, the item being marked as “shareable”, on a kid's menu, or regional and limited-time offerings. Methods and hypotheses were preregistered on As-Predicted.com. Results Contrary to our prediction, nutrient content was more often aligned with U.S. dietary guidelines when their description did include claims. With 3 claim types, 4 food types and 4 recommendations we test 48 possible cases. In 25 (52%) we found alignment between claims and nutrient recommendations, e.g., main dishes with health-related claims had 2% less calories from saturated fat (P < 0.01) and 142 mg less sodium (P < 0.01). In 3 of 48 cases (7%), claims were contrary to recommendations, all of which were desserts with sourcing claims which had more sodium, more trans-fat and more saturated fat than other desserts (all P < 0.01). In 20 of 48 cases (42%) there was no significant difference between items with and without claims. Conclusions Items described as vegetarian/vegan or with sourcing and health claims had nutrient contents that were more often aligned with dietary guidelines than other items. Menu labeling that communicates meal content more directly, such as nutrient fact panels, could inform choice and build trust in restaurant meals. Funding Sources None.


2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-118
Author(s):  
Stavroula Malla ◽  
K. K. Klein ◽  
Taryn Presseau

the risk of many chronic illnesses. To encourage greater consumption of healthy foods, some government agencies have begun issuing specific health claims on particular foods and/or ingredients. This study examines the impacts of a specific health claim on the risk of coronary heart disease on the demand for fats and meats in the United States. Results indicate the health claim decreased demand for foods higher in saturated fats and increased demand for foods lower in saturated fats by relatively small but statistically significant amounts. Keywords: health benefits, functional foods, dietary choices, consumer demand


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Jessica Blaze

The nutraceutical market is growing and the demand for products is increasing. Consumers are looking for cheaper alternatives to prescription medications as well as health products to supplement their dietary intake on a regular basis. Many countries classify these products into different categories based on their health claims. The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast the differences of regulatory frameworks in countries of similar status in regard to nutraceutical products: vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, and probiotics. This review also takes into consideration the aspects of nutraceutical safety in relation to government regulations. It is evident that further discussion is indicated with regard to the harmonization of nutraceutical product regulation in a global context in order to promote and protect public health.  This literature review selected 27 documents for a review using a systematic search of internet databases and search engines including PUBMED and Google Scholar. These documents were reviewed and synthesized for data relating to nutraceutical regulation within the four different countries of focus. Outcomes included information on safety and toxicity, drug interactions, classification of products, and regulatory processes for nutraceutical product approval in each country.


2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Bell ◽  
Heikki Pakkala ◽  
Michael P. Finglas

Food composition data (FCD) comprises the description and identification of foods, as well as their nutrient content, other constituents, and food properties. FCD are required for a range of purposes including food labeling, supporting health claims, nutritional and clinical management, consumer information, and research. There have been differences within and beyond Europe in the way FCD are expressed with respect to food description, definition of nutrients and other food properties, and the methods used to generate data. One of the major goals of the EuroFIR NoE project (2005 - 10) was to provide tools to overcome existing differences among member states and parties with respect to documentation and interchange of FCD. The establishment of the CEN’s (European Committee for Standardisation) TC 387 project committee on Food Composition Data, led by the Swedish Standards Institute, and the preparation of the draft Food Data Standard, has addressed these deficiencies by enabling unambiguous identification and description of FCD and their quality, for dissemination and data interchange. Another major achievement of the EuroFIR NoE project was the development and dissemination of a single, authoritative source of FCD in Europe enabling the interchange and update of data between countries, and also giving access to users of FCD.


2013 ◽  
pp. 81-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Durst

Intangibles are viewed as the key drivers in most industries, and current research shows that firms voluntarily disclose information about their investments in intangibles and their potential benefits. Yet little is known of the risks relating to such resources and the disclosures firms make about such risks. In order to obtain a more balanced and complete picture of firms' activities, information about the risky side of their intangibles is also needed. This exploratory study provides some descriptive insights into intangibles-related risk disclosure in a sample of 16 large banks from the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany and Italy. Annual report data is analyzed using the three Intellectual Capital dimensions. Study findings illustrate the variety of intangibles-related risk disclosure as demonstrated by the banks involved.


Author(s):  
Spencer W. Liebel ◽  
Lawrence H. Sweet

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects approximately 44 million American adults older than age 60 years and remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with approximately 610,000 each year. With improved survival from acute cardiac events, older adults are often faced with the prospect of living with CVD, which causes significant psychological, social, and economic hardship. The various disease processes that constitute CVD also exert a deleterious effect on neurocognitive functioning. Although existing knowledge of neurocognitive functioning in CVD and its subtypes is substantial, a review of these findings by CVD type and neurocognitive domain does not exist, despite the potential impact of this information for patients, health care providers, and clinical researchers. This chapter provides a resource for clinicians and researchers on the epidemiology, mechanisms, and neurocognitive effects of CVDs. This chapter includes a discussion of neurocognitive consequences of CVD subtypes by neuropsychological domain and recommendations for assessment. Overall, the CVD subtypes that have the most findings available on specific neurocognitive domains are heart failure, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation. Despite a large discrepancy between the number of available studies across CVD subtypes, existing literature on neurocognitive effects by domain is consistent with the literature on the neurocognitive sequelae of unspecified CVD. Specifically, the research literature suggests that cognitive processing speed, attention, executive functioning, and memory are the domains most frequently affected. Given the prevalence of CVDs, neuropsychological assessment of older adults should include instruments that allow consideration of these potential neurocognitive consequences of CVD.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Jennifer Lacy-Nichols ◽  
Libby Hattersley ◽  
Gyorgy Scrinis

Abstract Objective: To explore how some of the largest food companies involved in producing alternative proteins use health and nutrition claims to market their products. Design: We identified the largest food manufacturers, meat processors, and alternative protein companies selling plant-based alternative protein products in the United States. Using publicly available data, we analysed the voluntary health and nutrition claims made on front-of-pack labels and company webpages. We also analysed company websites for further nutrition and health-related statements about their products or alternative proteins more generally. Claim classification was guided by the INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-Communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring, and Action Support) taxonomy for health-related food labelling. Setting: United States. Results: 1394 health and nutrition-related front-of-pack label (FOPL) claims were identified on 216 products, including 685 nutrition claims and 709 ´other health-related´ claims. No FOPL health claims were identified. Most nutrient claims were for nutrients associated with meat, with 94% of products carrying a protein claim and 30% carrying a cholesterol claim. 74% of products carried a GMO-free claim and 63% carried a plant-based claim. On their websites, some companies expanded on these claims or discussed the health benefits of specific ingredients. Conclusions: Companies involved in this category appear to be using nutritional marketing primarily to position their products in relation to meat. There is a focus on nutrient and ingredient claims, with discussion of processing largely avoided. The findings highlight the challenges companies face in positioning AP products as healthy against the backdrop of debates about ultra-processed foods.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 489
Author(s):  
Emilie Croisier ◽  
Jaimee Hughes ◽  
Stephanie Duncombe ◽  
Sara Grafenauer

Breakfast cereal improves overall diet quality yet is under constant scrutiny with assertions that the category has not improved over time. This study aimed to comprehensively analyse the category of breakfast cereals, the nutritional values, and health claims across eight distinct sub-categories at four time points (2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020). An audit of products from four major supermarkets in metropolitan Sydney (Aldi, Coles, IGA, and Woolworths) collected ingredient lists, nutrition information, claims and Health Star Rating (HSR) for biscuits and bites; brans; bubbles, puffs, and flakes; granola and clusters; hot cereal flavoured; hot cereal plain; muesli; breakfast biscuits. The median (IQR) were calculated for energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, dietary fibre, and sodium for comparisons over time points by nutrient. Data from 2013 was compared with 2020 (by sub-category and then for a sub-section of common products available at each time point). Product numbers between 2013 (n = 283) and 2020 (n = 543) almost doubled, led by granola and clusters. Whole grain cereals ≥ 8 g/serve made up 67% of products (↑114%). While there were positive changes in nutrient composition over time within the full data set, the most notable changes were in the nutrition composition of cereals marketed as the same product in both years (n = 134); with decreases in mean carbohydrate (2%), sugar (10%) and sodium (16%) (p < 0.000), while protein and total fat increased significantly (p = 0.036; p = 0.021). Claims regarding Dietary Fibre and Whole Grain doubled since 2013. Analysis of sub-categories of breakfast cereal assisted in identifying some changes over time, but products common to both timeframes provided a clearer analysis of change within the breakfast category, following introduction of HSR. Whole grain products were lower in the two target nutrients, sodium and sugars, and well-chosen products represent a better choice within this category.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl L Larson ◽  
Megan Mullaney ◽  
Esther Mwangi ◽  
Deu Xiong ◽  
Frances Ziegler

Food deserts are identified by the United States Department of Agriculture as areas where asignificant proportion of the population lack access to quality food choices. The purpose of this study was toassess the availability of quality fruits, vegetables, dry good, and meats at corner store locations in a south-central Minnesota county designated a food desert. Corner stores (n=22) were audited for the presence of20 fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat meats, and whole grain dry goods. Results indicate more than three-quarters of corner stores did not provide sufficient access to healthy foods, and were not provide sufficientaccess to quality food for residents in the county.


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