Japanese researchers develop nutrient profiling model to spur healthier food options

03-Oct-2024 - Last updated on 03-Oct-2024 at 04:17 GMT

Japanese researchers seek to develop an official nutrient profiling model for processed foods in the country. ©Getty Images

A group of Japanese researchers have developed a nutrient profiling model (NPM) adapted to the local food culture and health policies, in the hope of establishing an official system to promote healthier product formulation and better food choices.

Nutrient profiling is the classification or ranking of foods according to their nutritional composition for reasons related to disease prevention and health promotion, with a NPM being used as a tool to assess the foods’ nutrient content.

The WHO has emphasised the importance of developing NPMs tailored to country-specific health issues and dietary cultures, as it could guide food manufacturers in formulating healthier products, inform consumers of better food options, regulate claims on packaging, and monitor food advertising and marketing.

Although numerous NPMs have been introduced worldwide, Japan has yet to establish an official NPM to date.

A draft NPM, based on the mandatory nutrition labelling of processed foods and that employed a category-specific model, had been proposed.

However, it did not enable direct comparisons beyond categories. It also did not distinguish between foods high in multiple restricted nutrients, such as saturated fat, and those high in only one restricted nutrient.

To develop a more comprehensive NPM, a group of Japanese researchers adapted an across-the-board model to befit local standards.

After reviewing existing NPMs, the Australian and New Zealand Health Star Rating (HSR) system was chosen and used as a reference to develop “Processed Foods in Japan version 1.0” (NPM-PFJ (1.0)).

The NPM-PFJ (1.0) scoring algorithm is based on the HSR, with reference values for energy, saturated fat, total sugars, sodium, protein, and dietary fibre revised to align with Japan’s food culture and policies.

Reference values for fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes (fvnl) were unchanged.

In total, 668 processed foods from the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, excluding seasonings and spices, fats and oils, alcoholic beverages, and infant food, were analysed using the HSR and NPM-PFJ (1.0) models.

Median scores were 4.5 for HSR and 5.0 for NPM-PFJ (1.0), showing high correlation (p < 0.01) between the two.

Thereafter, food categories familiar and meaningful in Japan were defined based on a hierarchical cluster analysis of scoring patterns, creating six categories with distinct characteristics. The rating algorithm was then formulated using each group’s score distribution.

“NPM-PFJ (1.0) was developed via a fully transparent and evidence-based process, remaining independent from external stakeholders. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional quality of processed foods distributed in Japan, and marks a significant step forward in establishing an NPM tailored to Japanese diets and health policies.

“Its scoring algorithm is explicitly and logically linked to public-health recommendations in Japan, maintaining comparability to HSR. On the other hand, its rating algorithm is based on uniquely defined food categories that are familiar and meaningful to the Japanese food culture and environment,” the researchers wrote.

In addition, the researchers anticipate the NPM-PFJ (1.0) to be a helpful tool for reformulation of food products, facilitating easier access to healthier foods for consumers.

Don’t be salty

In 2022, Japan launched the Strategic Initiative for a Healthy and Sustainable Food Environment — a strategy aimed at reducing excess sodium intake and resolving various nutritional and environmental challenges, through collaboration among the government, industry, academia, and other stakeholders.

Due to NPM-PFJ (1.0)’s high neutrality and feasibility for a wide range of food categories, the researchers believe that it would be a strong candidate for an official NPM to support this Initiative.

The 2019 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan reported a mean sodium intake of approximately 3.8g/day among Japanese people aged one year and above, which is nearly double the WHO recommendation of less than 2 g/day.

The rating algorithm for NPM-PFJ (1.0) categorises sodium-rich foods separately and evaluates their “healthiness” individually. This could motivate food companies to realistically reduce the sodium content in their products, and help consumers make heathier choices.

In this study, traditional seasonings frequently used to add flavour to Japanese dishes that are high in sodium, such as soy sauce and fermented soybean paste, were excluded.

Therefore, an expanded database of food products may address the study’s limitations.

Source: Nutrients

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16173026

“Development of a Nutrient Profiling Model for Processed Foods in Japan”

Authors: Jun Takebayashi, et al