Newly revised Choices criteria for healthier food presented to WHO

April 26th, 2019

Geneva – On 26 April 2019 Choices International presented its new and fully revised criteria for healthier food choices to Dr Francesco Branca, World Health Organization (WHO).

The criteria of the Choices International Foundation define the healthiest products in every product group by setting maximum values for saturated fat, sugar, sodium, trans fatty acids and energy and minimum values for dietary fibre. They have been developed in response to the WHO call to contribute to the prevention of non-communicable diseases and obesity and serve as a tool for health policies and front-of-pack labelling in many countries. The criteria are evaluated and revised every four years by the International Scientific Committee consisting of leading independent scientists, to keep pace with developments in nutrition science, consumer habits and product development.

Healthier food products redefined

April 25th, 2019

The question 'what defines healthy food?' is an everlasting question in the field of nutrition. In the light of causes of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), there are 4 nutrients that, when over-consumed, negatively affect health and these are trans-fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, sodium and sugars. Fibre, on the other hand, induces health risk when consumption is insufficient. Based on this knowledge, the Choices criteria were developed and published in 2011 to serve as the basis for a front-of-pack nutrition logo system to make the healthy choice the easy choice for consumers and to stimulate industry to innovate and make healthier products (Roodenburg et al.).

Looking to compare nutrition logos in an easy-to-use and comprehensive way?

March 15th, 2019

A model has been developed by Daphne van der Bend, that enables extensive and structural comparisons between different nutrition profiling systems and logos; the funnel model. In her latest paper, that just has been published, she used this model to analyze the similarities and differences of functional and visual aspects of the European logo initiatives currently in practice or in preparation. This analysis has been made upon request by the Fourth European Positive Logo Round Table (January 2018).