Linking Food Processing to Health Outcomes: A Simplistic and Dangerous Approach

Publication description

IDF is concerned by the efforts of some policymakers to provide dietary guidance by ranking foods by degree of processing, by using the NOVA system. Although such approaches are presented as contributing to improved nutrition and health, IDF considers the use of the NOVA as well as similar systems that attribute nutritional superiority to less processed foods to be overly simplistic and not supported by robust scientific evidence. Other nutrition experts in the field have expressed similar concerns. Given these limitations, national regulation and the policies based on these approaches could, in fact, negatively impact nutrition and health and mislead consumers about their food choices.