The simplified nutrient profiling system (SENS) adequately ranks foods in relation to the overall nutritional quality of diets: a validation study

Maillot, Matthieu; Sondey, Juliette; Braesco, Véronique; Darmon, Nicole

doi:10.1038/s41430-018-0104-3

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Free sugars were estimated from added sugars ( 26 ). Portion sizes were based on a previous study in France ( 27 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A three-component Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) to evaluate the nutrient density of breakfast meals

Poinsot,

Maillot,

Masset

et al. 2023

Front. Nutr.

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BackgroundNutrient profiling methods can be applied to individual foods or to composite meals. This article introduces a new method to assess the nutrient density of breakfast meals.ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop a new breakfast quality score (BQS), based on the nutrient standards previously published by the International Breakfast Research Initiative (IBRI) consortium.MethodsBQS was composed of three sub-scores derived from the weighted arithmetic mean of corresponding nutrient adequacy: an eLIMf sub-score (energy, saturated fat, free sugars, and sodium), a PF (protein and fiber) sub-score, and a VMn1 − 14 micronutrient sub-score, where n varied from 0 to 14. The effects of assigning different weights to the eLIMf, PF, and VMn were explored in four alternative models. The micronutrients were calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Micronutrient permutations were used to develop alternate VMn1 − 14 sub-scores. The breakfast database used in this study came from all breakfasts declared as consumed by adults (>18 years old) in the French dietary survey INCA3. All models were tested with respect to the Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF9.3). BQS sensitivity was tested using three prototype French breakfasts, for which improvements were made.ResultsThe correlations of the models with NRF9.3 improved when the VMn>3 sub-score (n > 3) was included alongside the PF and eLIMf sub-scores. The model with (PF+VMn) and eLIMf each accounting for 50% of the total score showed the highest correlations with NRF9.3 and was the preferred final score (i.e., BQS). BQS was sensitive to the changing quality of three prototype breakfasts defined as tartine, sandwich, and cereal.ConclusionThe proposed BQS was shown to valuably rank the nutritional density of breakfast meals against a set of nutrient recommendations. It includes nutrients to limit along with protein, fiber, and a variable number of micronutrients to encourage. The flexible VMn sub-score allows for the evaluation of breakfast quality even when nutrient composition data are limited.

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“…Free sugars were estimated from added sugars ( 26 ). Portion sizes were based on a previous study in France ( 27 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The associated ANSES CIQUAL 2016 nutrient composition database (25) provides energy and nutrient values per 100 g edible portion for all the foods consumed by INCA3 participants. Free sugars were estimated from added sugars (26). Portion sizes were based on a previous study in France (27).…”

Section: Inca and Ciqual Databasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A three-component Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) to evaluate the nutrient density of breakfast meals

Poinsot,

Maillot,

Masset

et al. 2023

Front. Nutr.

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“…The French derivative, Nutri-Score ( 67 ), awards points for fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and healthy oils. The Simplified Nutrient Profiling System (SENS) ( 72 ) algorithm lists fruit and vegetables. The Australian HSR ( 68 ) also awards points for fruit, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.…”

Section: Current Status Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Perspective: Why Whole Grains Should Be Incorporated into Nutrient-Profile Models to Better Capture Nutrient Density

Drewnowski

McKeown

Kissock

et al. 2021

Advances in Nutrition

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Healthy eating patterns, as described by dietary guidelines, typically favor whole grains, low-fat dairy, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Nutrient-profiling (NP) models capture nutrient density of individual foods and can inform healthier food choices. Although whole grains are prominently featured in most dietary guidelines, they are not included in most NP models. Healthy foods, as identified by most NP models, are those that contain limited amounts of energy, saturated fat, total or added sugar, and sodium. As global dietary guidance turns to foods and food groups as opposed to individual nutrients, future nutrient-density metrics may need to do the same. Potential methods to incorporate whole grains into the overall concept of nutrient density and into selected NP models are outlined in this review. Incorporating whole grains into the Nutri-Score, Health Star Rating, or the Nutrient Rich Food index will require further analyses of dietary nutrient density in relation to health outcomes across diverse population subgroups. We present the rationale for how the inclusion of whole grains in NP models can assist in the implementation of dietary guidance.

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“…Although food‐based dietary guidelines adopt an approach based on food groups, by contrast, most nutrient profiling models continue to assess the nutrient density of individual foods based on a small number of specific nutrients to be encouraged or to limit. Because current nutrient profiling models may not fully capture the relative healthiness of foods, there may be a case for advancing a hybrid nutrient profiling approach that takes both nutrients and all desirable food groups and food ingredients into account as mentioned above (Maillot et al ; Drewnowski et al ). Some existing models include fruit and vegetables for example (Santé publique France ).…”

Section: What Are the Barriers/facilitators To The Use Of The Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proceedings of a roundtable event ‘Is communicating the concept of nutrient density important?’

et al. 2020

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The British Nutrition Foundation held a 1‐day roundtable event to gather views from a wide range of stakeholders on the relevance and importance of the concept of nutrient density in supporting and motivating people to make healthier dietary choices. The opportunities and barriers associated with the use of this concept were also explored. The roundtable involved experts from research, public health nutrition, dietetics, retail and nutrition science communication, and this report describes the main themes emerging from the discussions. High obesity prevalence rates indicate that, on average, we are consuming too many calories relative to energy requirements; yet, the quality of our diets, with respect to certain vitamins and minerals and fibre, seems to be falling somewhat short of recommendations. Addressing this issue may require a more holistic approach than the current focus on restricting single nutrients prevalent in public health messaging internationally. Most members of the roundtable felt that communicating the concept of nutrient density may help in encouraging healthier food choices and dietary patterns that are higher in nutritional quality. However, while nutrient profiling has been used to guide front‐of‐pack labelling and in restricting the advertising of less healthy foods to children, there is a lack of consensus on the precise definition of a ‘nutrient dense’ food or which nutrients should be used as markers of the ‘healthiness’ of foods/drinks, and the term seems to be poorly understood by consumers and health professionals alike. Therefore, further work is required if tools around this concept are to be developed to try and successfully promote behaviour change.

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The simplified nutrient profiling system (SENS) adequately ranks foods in relation to the overall nutritional quality of diets: a validation study

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

A three-component Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) to evaluate the nutrient density of breakfast meals

A three-component Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) to evaluate the nutrient density of breakfast meals

Perspective: Why Whole Grains Should Be Incorporated into Nutrient-Profile Models to Better Capture Nutrient Density

Proceedings of a roundtable event ‘Is communicating the concept of nutrient density important?’

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