A landmark study published Thursday in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) confirms that foods with the lowest Nutri-Score ratings are associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality.
Guiding consumers toward healthier choices is crucial for preventing cancers and chronic diseases. For years, several countries have adopted simplified labeling systems like the Nutri-Score, which evaluates food's nutritional quality. In France, it was officially introduced three years ago under the health system modernization law.
The system uses letters A to E—backed by colors—to indicate healthiness. Scores are calculated via the FSAm-NPS (Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system), considering per 100g: beneficial elements like fiber, protein, fruits, and vegetables, versus those to limit, such as energy, saturated fats, sugars, and salt.
Higher scores yield an A (green) for top nutritional quality; lower ones get an E (red). But how reliable is it? Researchers from the Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center at the University of Paris examined this by analyzing dietary habits of over 500,000 people across ten European countries from 1992 to 2015.
The BMJ-published research shows that higher consumption of lower Nutri-Score foods correlates with elevated total mortality, plus risks from cancers and circulatory, respiratory, and digestive diseases. Results held firm after adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors.
"People consuming lower-nutritional-quality foods face about a 7% increased mortality risk," notes co-author Mélanie Deschasaux in an Europe 1 interview.
Mathilde Touvier, an Inserm researcher, affirms the study "validates" Nutri-Score's role "in public health policies guiding consumers to better-nutritional-quality foods."
