Nutrient profiling models have been with us for some time.
The model that is in current use was developed by the Food Standards Agency in 2004-5 to help Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, restrict the advertising of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products to children.
It comprises a scoring system where ‘C points’ from positive components (fruit, vegetables, nuts, fibre and protein) are deducted from ‘A points’ from ‘negative nutrients’ (energy, saturated fat, sugar and sodium). Food products with a score of four or more, and drinks with a score of one or more, are classified as ‘less healthy’ (HFSS) and are subject to restrictions in advertising and promotions.
Development of the NPM 2018
In the years following the publication of the of the NPM 2004-5 there have been significant changes to UK recommendations on sugar and dietary fibre.
The 2015 report from the Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommended the use of the term ‘free sugars’ to define sugars that should be limited in the diet. The report reduced the recommended limit for sugars from 10% of calorie intake to 5% to combat rising obesity, and dental caries. Alongside this, the committee increased recommended fibre intakes to 30g per day for adults. These recommendations were accepted by government and incorporated into UK nutritional guidance.
The following year in 2016, a revised version of the UK’s healthy eating model, the Eatwell Guide was published. The updated guidance reflected the change in sugar and fibre recommendations with an increased proportion of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods in the diet, accompanied by messaging to eat more beans and pulses. Foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar were removed from the main food groups – highlighting that they are not needed as part of a healthy diet.
In this context, the Government revisited the NPM 2004-5. Working with expert groups, Public Health England developed a revised version of the NPM, which was consulted on and published in 2018 (NPM 2018).
Following a long delay, the NPM 2018 was confirmed as the updated model, but it has not yet been applied to policy.
Whilst discussions about implementation of the new NPM are ongoing, it is important for food businesses to be aware of how the new model will impact them and how they can prepare.
The new model – what has changed?
In the NPM 2018, free sugars replace total sugars, and sugar and energy-density thresholds have been lowered, reducing opportunities for high-sugar and high-calorie foods to pass as non-HFSS.
Seeds have been added to the fruit, vegetables and nuts score due to their having a similar nutritional profile to nuts. In addition, fibre scoring has been revised to align with recommended adult intakes.
Foods high in fibre may now accrue more positive points (up to a maximum of 10) but a high free sugars content may still result in the product being classified as HFSS.
Perhaps the most challenging issue for food businesses is the calculation of free sugars. The definition of free sugars includes: all added sugars in any form; all sugars naturally present in fruit and vegetable juices, purées and pastes and similar products in which the structure has been broken down; all sugars in drinks (except for dairy-based drinks); and lactose and galactose added as ingredients.
Free sugars are not routinely declared on product labels and cannot be distinguished from ‘total sugars’ in laboratory analysis. Therefore, the free sugars content of products must be calculated based on their ingredients. Technical guidance on the calculation of free sugars in products has been provided by Government; however, the methodology may be complex for some products.
This is especially the case for foods containing multiple ingredients that could contribute free sugars, such as fruit purees or chocolate chips, which may require detailed information from several suppliers to gather all the data needed to make a calculation.
What can food businesses do to prepare?
Understanding where free sugars come from in products, ensuring accurate data on ingredients are available and setting up consistent processes for calculating free sugars content will be key to preparing for the implementation of the NPM 2018. Some products may also need to recalculate their fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (FVNS) component to include seeds, which will require recipe-level data.
Discussions with government about the implications of the updated NPM are ongoing and a public consultation on applying the NPM 2018 to advertising and promotions restrictions will take place later this year.
From a public health perspective, the NPM 2018 aligns with current dietary advice and provides a more consistent and health-focused tool for identifying HFSS products. For current policy applications, including advertising and marketing restrictions, the British Nutrition Foundation broadly supports the use of the NPM 2018 and recognises its potential benefits to public health.
However, we also recognise the practical challenges associated with its implementation. Many businesses have invested considerable time and resource into reformulating products to reduce levels of calories, fat, salt and sugar, and we have seen the beneficial impact that reformulation can have on population nutrient intakes. It will be important to ensure that the model encourages, rather than inadvertently inhibits, ongoing efforts by industry to reformulate products in ways that support public health outcomes.
