Auckland: Fewer than half of all packaged foods available in New Zealand and
Australia in 2012 met nutritional criteria to carry health claims,
according to recently published research from the University of
Auckland. The study based on large, regular surveys of food composition
provides a comprehensive, quantitative assessment of the nutrient
profile of packaged foods in Australia and New Zealand. In the study, nutrition information data was collected from food
packages in major New Zealand and Australian supermarkets and was
assessed using a regionally accepted nutrient profiling scoring
standard. The proportion of products eligible to display health claims was
quantified along with the associations between each product’s score and
energy density, saturated fat, sugar and salt content. “The few healthy choices available in key staple food categories is a
concern”, says study leader, Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu. “Dietary risk
factors such as high salt and high saturated fat, low fruit and
vegetable, and excess energy intakes, accounted for 11 percent of health
loss in New Zealand in 2006. That is more than the burden of disease
due to smoking (nine percent),” she says.
Improving diets and reducing salt intakes are priorities for global
action following the United Nations high level meeting on
non-communicable diseases in 2011 and are recommended as ‘best-buys’ for
reducing deaths from these diseases.
“Processed foods contribute about three-quarters of dietary energy
and nutrients consumed in high-income countries, so consumer food
choices and the nutritional makeup of processed foods have enormous
potential to influence dietary intakes,” says Professor Ni Mhurchu.
“Improvements in nutritional quality of foods through healthier
product reformulation could significantly improve people’s diets,” she
says. “Effective front-of-pack nutrition labelling that provides people
with clear information and empowers them to make healthier food choices
is another cost-effective way to improve people’s diets.”
The study scored 23,596 packaged food and non-alcoholic drinks, (15,219 in Australia and 8,377 in New Zealand).
Across both countries only 45 percent of foods assessed were deemed
healthy enough to carry health claims but Australia (at 47 percent) did
better than New Zealand, (at 41 percent).
“Australia had a higher proportion of foods classified as healthy
compared with New Zealand, largely driven by the healthier nutritional
profile of Australian non-alcoholic drinks, snack foods, and meat
products,” she says.
“If we expect New Zealanders to get the healthy balance right we need
to give them the opportunity and tools to do so”, says Professor Ni
Mhurchu. “Some food companies are already working to improve the
nutritional profile of their products, but much more needs to be done.”
Professor Ni Mhurchu is urging New Zealand to work harder to address
this public health priority through strong government leadership,
engagement with the food industry to improve the nutritional profile of
foods, and effective implementation of the Health Star Rating labelling
system.
The study was led by the National Institute for Health Innovation
(NIHI), University of Auckland, in collaboration with the George
Institute for Global Health, Australia. The analyses were funded by a
University of Auckland summer studentship.