Renata Carvalho de Oliveira

Sodium content on processed foods for snacks

OBJECTIVE To assess the Na content reported on the labels of processed foods sold in Brazil that are usually consumed as snacks by children and adolescents. DESIGN Cross-sectional study that assessed Na content and serving size reporting on processed food labels. SETTING A supermarket that is part of a large chain in Brazil. SUBJECTS All foods available for sale at the studys location and reported in the literature as snacks present in the diets of Brazilian children and adolescents. RESULTS Of the 2945 processed foods, 87 % complied with the reference serving sizes, although variability in reporting was observed in most of the food subgroups. In addition, 21 % of the processed foods had high Na levels (>600 mg/100 g) and 35 % had medium Na levels (>120 and ≤600 mg/100 g). The meats, oils, fats and seeds groups as well as the prepared dishes had higher percentages of foods classified as high Na (81 %, 58 % and 53 %, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Most of the processed foods had high or medium Na content. We emphasize the importance of revising Brazilian nutrition labelling legislation to standardize reference serving sizes to avoid variation. Besides, we point out the potential for reducing Na levels in most processed foods, as evidenced by the variability in Na content within subgroups. Finally, we have identified the need to develop a method to classify Na levels in processed foods with specific parameters for children and adolescents.

Comparison of the nutritional content of products, with and without nutrient claims, targeted at children in Brazil.

Many childrens food products highlight positive attributes on their front-of-package labels in the form of nutrient claims. This cross-sectional study investigated all retailed packaged foods (n 5620) in a major Brazilian supermarket, in order to identify the availability of products targeted at children, and to compare the nutritional content of products with and without nutrient claims on labels. Data on energy, carbohydrate, protein, fibre, Na and total and SFA content, along with the presence and type of nutrient claims, were obtained in-store from labels of all products. Products targeted at children were identified, divided into eight food groups and compared for their nutritional content per 100 g/ml and the presence of nutrient claims using the Mann-Whitney U test (P<0·05). Of the 535 food products targeted at children (9·5 % of all products), 270 (50·5 %) displayed nutrient claims on their labels. Childrens products with nutrient claims had either a similar or worse nutritional content than their counterparts without nutrient claims. The major differences among groups were found in Group 8 (e.g. sauces and ready meals), in which childrens products bearing nutrient claims had higher energy, carbohydrate, Na and total and SFA content per 100 g/ml than products without nutrient claims (P<0·05). This suggests that, to prevent misleading parents who are seeking healthier products for their children, the regulation on the use of nutrient claims should be revised, so that only products with appropriate nutrient profiles are allowed to display them.

Menu labelling and healthy food choices: a randomised controlled trial

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different menu labelling formats on healthy food choices in a real restaurant setting. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional, randomised and controlled parallel-group trial was conducted in Brazil in 2013. In total, 313 university students were randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups with different menu labelling formats. Of these, data from 233 students were analysed. The others did not attend and were excluded. Intervention Group 1 (n=88) received information in the form of a traffic light plus guideline daily amounts, while Intervention Group 2 (n=74) was presented with ingredients list plus highlighted symbols (IL+S). The control group (n=71) received a menu with no menu labelling. Data were collected on one weekday in a restaurant setting. Trial outcomes were assessed by healthy food choices. Findings Healthy food choices of students who received the menu showing IL+S were significantly higher when compared to the other groups. This same menu labelling format positively affected healthy food choices in women, not overweight participants and in participants who often ate out more than twice a week. Originality/value Menu labelling format presenting ingredients list and highlighted symbols was positively associated with healthy food choices among the university students in Brazil. This type of labelling could be adopted in future legislation on menu labelling in Brazil and around the world.

Preferências de adultos jovens por diferentes formatos de informações nutricionais em restaurantes no Brasil e Reino Unido

1 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Núcleo de Pesquisa de Nutrição em Produção de Refeições, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição. Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. 2 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Nutrição. Campus Universitário, s/n., Trindade, 88040-970, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. Correspondência para/Correspondence to: RPC PROENÇA. E-mail: <rossana.costa@ufsc.br>. 3 Bournemouth University, International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research, The Foodservice and Applied Nutrition Research Group. Bournemouth, DT, United Kingdom.