The Choices Programme has contributed to the development of healthier food products

July 19th, 2012

New research in the Netherlands shows that nutrition logos have stimulated the food industry to make their products healthier, especially when it comes to decreasing salt and increasing fibre.

Nutrition labels can help consumers make healthier food purchases, but they can also encourage companies to develop healthier products, according to research presented this week at the World Congress of Public Health Nutrition in Porto, Portugal. The study of nutrition scientists from the VU University Amsterdam showed that the food manufacturers in the Dutch Choices Programme have either developed new products or reformulated old ones to meet the product criteria.

Researchers surveyed 47 food manufacturers that participate in the programme to find out the extent to which their Choices-compliant products were developed to meet the product criteria. The results showed that the companies had significantly reduced salt in certain product groups including meats, sandwiches, soups and sandwich fillings. Dietary fibre was increased in most newly developed product groups. Saturated fatty acids, added sugar and calories were substantially reduced in reformulated as well as newly-developed dairy products. Calories were especially cut down in reformulated dairy products, sandwich fillings and some newly developed snacks.

To date, this is the largest study to investigate the effect of a nutrition logo on the food industry’s actions around healthy product development. The analysis was also recently published online in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity 2010.

“This is encouraging news,” says Professor Jaap Seidell from the VU University Amsterdam, Chairman of the Choices Scientific Committee and one of the study authors. “These findings give clear evidence that the programme is really making headway in one of its key focus areas, to stimulate industry to make healthier options more available.”

In addition, the scientific development of the Choices product criteria is also presented at the congress in Porto by Annet JC Roodenburg, a researcher from the VU University Amsterdam.

For more information:
Dr. Leon Jansen
Secretary of the International Scientific Committee
Tel. +31 653 849 179
info@choicesprogramme.org