School of Life Sciences and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes, and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health, and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
Nutrients. 2023 Jul 12;15(14):3117. doi: 10.3390/nu15143117.
This study aims to compare the classification of foods available in the Portuguese market using Nutri-Score and NOVA classifications and to analyse their ability to discriminate the fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt content of foods. A sample of 2682 food products was collected. The nutritional quality of foods was established using the Nutri-Score, classifying them into five categories (from A to E). The NOVA classification was used to classify foods according to the degree of food processing into unprocessed/minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods (UPF). The nutritional content of food products was classified using a Multiple Traffic Light label system. It was observed that 73.7% of UPF were classified as Nutri-Score C, D, and E, 10.1% as Nutri-Score A, and 16.2% as Nutri-Score B. Nutri-Score was positively correlated with NOVA classification (ρ = 0.140, < 0.001) and with the Multiple Traffic Lights system (ρ = 0.572, ρ = 0.668, ρ = 0.215, ρ = 0.321, < 0.001). NOVA classification negatively correlated with the Multiple Traffic Lights system for total fat (ρ = -0.064, < 0.001). Our findings indicate the presence of many UPFs in all Nutri-Score categories. Since food processing and nutritional quality are complementary, both should be considered in labelling.
本研究旨在比较葡萄牙市场上可获得的食品使用 Nutri-Score 和 NOVA 分类法的分类，并分析它们区分食品中脂肪、饱和脂肪、糖和盐含量的能力。收集了 2682 种食品样本。使用 Nutri-Score 确定食品的营养质量，将它们分为五个类别（A 到 E）。NOVA 分类法用于根据食品加工程度将食品分为未加工/最小加工食品、加工烹饪原料、加工食品和超加工食品 (UPF)。使用多色信号灯标签系统对食品的营养成分进行分类。结果表明，73.7%的 UPF 被归类为 Nutri-Score C、D 和 E，10.1%为 Nutri-Score A，16.2%为 Nutri-Score B。Nutri-Score 与 NOVA 分类法呈正相关（ρ=0.140， < 0.001），与多色信号灯系统呈正相关（ρ=0.572，ρ=0.668，ρ=0.215，ρ=0.321， < 0.001）。NOVA 分类法与多色信号灯系统的总脂肪呈负相关（ρ=-0.064， < 0.001）。我们的发现表明，所有 Nutri-Score 类别中都存在许多 UPF。由于食品加工和营养质量是互补的，因此在标签中应同时考虑这两个方面。
