Single nutrient taxes questioned: Ultra-processed food policies should be prioritised instead, say researchers
Australia
Norway
Published Oct 7, 2020
Tridge summary
Public health researchers have pushed for governments to develop policies and guidelines targeting ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as a whole, instead of focusing on individual nutrients such as salt and sugar, based on the findings of a new study report.
Original content
The study was a cross-country one conducted by public health researchers across Australia and Norway and involved the analysis of 43 studies involving UPF in relation to any disease, disorder or condition specified in the International Classification of Diseases. It utilised a food classification called NOVA (a name and not an acronym) which assigns foods to four groups based on the ‘extent and purpose’ of their industrial processing – Unprocessed/Minimally Processed Foods (MPF) e.g. fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, milk; Processed Culinary Ingredients (PCI) used to cook and season MPFs but not consumed alone e.g. salt; Processed Foods (PF) where PCI is added to MPF and sold e.g. canned fruit in syrup; and UPFs which contain multiple ingredients and are produced via various ‘industrial processes’ e.g. savoury snacks and confectionary. UPFs would ‘characteristically’ contain substances such as maltodextrin, hydrogenated oil and cosmetic additive to improve taste. Out of the 43 ...
By clicking “Accept Cookies,” I agree to provide cookies for statistical and personalized preference purposes.
To learn more about our cookies, please read our Privacy Policy.