Latest news with #HealthStarRating
India Today
12-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Packaged food alert: Why India needs warning labels, not health star ratings
The Supreme Court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) recently, set a three-month timeframe for the Centre to implement food safety norms in the country. The PIL, filed by the Pune-based non-profit 3S and Our Health, had raised concerns about food safety and the need for package labelling norms, especially around nutrients of concern—salt, sugar and fat—so that consumers could make informed government, in its reply, informed that the country's highest food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), had received over 14,000 public comments from various stakeholders on the proposed labelling norms, and had started the amendment September 2022, FSSAI introduced draft Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) guidelines and proposed an Indian Nutrition Rating or Health Star Rating model. This is supposed to be an FOPNL system that rates the overall nutritional profile of food, from a star to 5 stars. The more the stars, the healthier the this model work? George Cheriyan, working president of the Consumer Protection Association, thinks otherwise. He argues that companies can add protein or some vitamins to offset the negative impact of sugar or salt content in their food products and still manage a decent rating. For instance, if a bar of chocolate contains some nuts, it may get a healthy score without accounting for the presence of excessive fat and sugar. 'The entire purpose of warning about the presence of harmful ingredients gets ignored in this,' says Cheriyan. Cheriyan suggests India needs warning labels such as those used in Chile, where excess calories, sugar and fat are displayed in large black octagons on food packages, since literacy levels are low in the country and language barriers abound. Thus, warning labels should be in the form of symbols or emojis—just like the red dot currently indicating non-vegetarian food and a green dot indicates a vegetarian are enough studies to underscore the positive impact of food warning labels on public health. Data suggests that 18 months after Chile implemented FOPNL norms, including restricting advertisements for unhealthy products between 6 am and 10 pm, warning labels on packaged food, and a ban on selling junk food in schools, the consumption of sweet beverages reduced by 25 per cent. The study, published in medical journal PLOS Medicine, had tracked 2,000 Arun Gupta, convenor of the National Advocacy in Public Interest, a think-tank on nutrition, says interpretative labels don't work. 'Consumers take 6-8 seconds to choose the brand, and the star rating system doesn't empower them to make decisions according to their personal choices and health and lifestyle preferences,' he states it is time consumers be made king in the real sense. 'It is time to go back to that ethos,' he says. That mission can only be accomplished through a food labelling system that empowers consumers to make choices and take health into their own hands, he Sanyal, chief operating officer and secretary at VOICE (Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education), describes FOPNL as one of the most critical ways to curtail the rising consumption of ultra-processed foods in India. He says there is enough data to show how ultra-processed foods are impacting health and becoming was part of the FSSAI discussions on draft FOPL guidelines. He highlights that a more democratic dialogue is required to determine the right norms for the country. During the last discussion on the draft in 2021, he said, the participation in the meeting was heavily skewed in favour of the industry, with 25 representatives from industry associations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), but only five from the other side—three from consumer organisations and one each from civil society and farmer producer says most of the regulations are limited to packaged food while there is also a responsibility to ensure food safety for unbranded products in the informal sector, which accounts for a much larger market than the formal sector in India. He shares how unbranded products or counterfeit brands are freely available in small confectionery shops along the highway or in rural areas. 'FSSAI needs to develop the intelligence-gathering mechanism to ensure that all regulations are implemented on the ground for all food products,' he to India Today Magazine- Ends
Daily Maverick
06-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Nestlé to ‘evolve' nutrition and reporting after investor criticism of healthy food targets
The Global Access to Nutrition Index 2024 by ATNi found that of product sales, only 32.7% are from healthier Nestlé products. Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe posted on LinkedIn that after another meeting at the end of 2024 with ShareAction investors they agreed to 'evolve Nestlé's reporting on nutritional value of the company's portfolio' as well as 'make it easier for investors to compare companies and their portfolios across the food industry'. This came after March 2024, when ShareAction, the responsible investing charity, filed a resolution asking Nestlé to set targets to increase the sales of healthier foods, and apply internationally accepted standards that define healthy foods. This means that Nestlé's portfolio may be moving towards more transparency, as well as hopefully pushing the marketing and sales of healthier foods. ANTi analysed the Nestlé product portfolio at the end of 2024, finding that only 32.7% of the sales are from healthier Nestlé foods and beverages. 'I think that there is still a very long way to go – although I guess a little credit must be given for the slight shift towards healthy food,' said Sue Goldstein, public health medicine specialist and division director at the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science at PRICELESS SA. Nestlé had an overall score of 3.7 out of 10, scoring lowest on affordable nutrition (3/10) and portfolio improvement (3.5/10) and highest on Reporting Nutrient Profile Models (9/10) which are a system for classifying foods based on nutritional content, often used to assess healthiness – such as fats, sugars and salt. People often say that food choices are down to the individual. But what is available, accessible, affordable, desirable, convenient and effective with marketing all play a role in determining people's choices. 'Evolve' nutrition reporting 'We appreciate the constructive dialogue with ATNi and ShareAction and their recognition of our progress and transparency. We have the same interest – making balanced diets accessible for all people around the world. We are one of the food companies at the forefront of the work on this and it requires the whole industry to engage to make a difference,' Conny Sethaelo, corporate communications and public affairs director at Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region, told Daily Maverick. Freixe added that with Nestlé's next non-financial report they will 'evolve' nutrition reporting via three mechanisms: add new data aligned with the scope of ATNi, include a sales weighted average measure for relevant categories and the total portfolio, and continue to use the Health Star Rating system. Further steps ATNI lauded the progress Nestlé has made, but said 'further steps are needed to fully align with ATNi's expectations for responsible nutrition reporting.' These include: Setting a clear and ambitious target to increase the share of healthier products sold, and reducing sales of less-healthy products; Greater transparency on reduction of nutrients of concern (sugar, sodium, saturated fat); Public reporting of marketing audit results and responsible marketing practices; Progress updates on front-of-pack labelling and use of nutrition or health claims; and Full adherence to the WHO Code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes. 'We comply with the World Health Organization International Code for the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and World Health Assembly resolutions as implemented by national governments everywhere in the world,' Sethaelo said. She added that they have restricted the promotion of formula for infants aged 0 to six months worldwide. In more than 160 countries, including South Africa, they apply stricter rules to prevent promoting formula for infants of 0 to 12 months. Social media sites available in South Africa, such as Facebook, do have Nestlé pages such as ' Nestlé Nankid 4 ' where age is not mentioned, on posts saying things like 'Every growing kid with a growing mind deserves a good foundation. With NESTLÉ® NANKID® OPTIPRO® 4 daily, your kid gets the support they need for their growing body and growing mind.' The Facebook page description is 'baby goods/children's goods'. Nutrition governance: 7.8/10 Nestlé has committed to the target 'to grow the sales of more nutritious products by CHF 20 to 25 billion by 2030, representing about 50% growth over 2022 sales'. 'Nutritious products' refers to products that meet Health Star Rating (HSR) 3.5 (or above) and its specialised nutrition products (such as baby foods, supplements and medical nutrition). Nestlé is strongly recommended to increase the sales target of healthier foods relative to less-healthy products, to ensure that sales of less-healthy products do not grow at the same rate. Portfolio improvement: 3.5/10 Nestlé has committed to reducing sodium in frequently consumed products by 2025, with targets for further reductions set for 2030. The company reports that it has achieved '5-6% sugar and salt reduction over the last six years' and met 2025 sodium reduction objectives in half of its product categories. Asked how they will address nutrient differences in the Global South, since products for infants and toddlers have more sugar in countries like South Africa, Sethaelo said the approach is 'global, meaning we are committed to providing more nutritious, affordable food and beverages to people in all countries in which we operate, including LMICs'. 'At Nestlé, we're committed to making a positive impact by creating products that tackle locally relevant nutritional deficiencies and are regularly consumed by a large portion of the population. Our goal is to offer foods that support a balanced diet and are affordable for those who need them most – helping meet critical societal needs while creating lasting value for our business.' Saturated fats and sticking to a date As with sugar reduction, the company said it will focus on growing sales of products meeting HSR≥ 3.5. While saturated fat is a major component of the HSR algorithm, there is no reformulation target for saturated fat reduction. Industrially produced trans fat (iTFA) is an industrial process of adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, going from a liquid to a solid. It can be found in baked goods, some packaged foods and margarine, for example. Among other dietary factors, high intake of trans fat increases the risk of death from any cause by 34%, coronary heart disease deaths by 28% and coronary heart disease by 21%. Nestlé indicates that the company has successfully limited iTFA to less than 2g per 100g of fats and oils, aligning with WHO recommendations. Additionally, the company has shown evidence of internal standards in place to prevent the presence of iTFA. Nestlé is encouraged to report specifically on its progress in reducing levels of sodium (ideally in line with the WHO sodium benchmarks), saturated fats, and sugar, across all relevant product categories – and set a specific, measurable and time-bound target for reducing levels of saturated fats and free sugars. Reformulating, reducing and investing in marketing Sethaelo explained that they believe an 'absolute target' is the best way to guide the strategy of increasing sales of more nutritious foods and beverages. 'We are proud of all of our products and want to ensure that we address responsibly the diverse needs and preferences of our consumers,' said Sethaelo, adding that they are 'taking action across three key areas.' 'These are reformulating existing products and developing new ones with improved nutrient profiles,' Sethaelo said. They have 'reduced health-sensitive nutrients but believe that a holistic approach to improving nutritional value based on nutrient profiling systems (including HSR) is the best approach.' And they are investing significant marketing spend behind products scoring HSR 3.5 and above, she explained. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains Nestlé, through its joint venture with General Mills as Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), commits to having whole grains as the main ingredient in its cereals. Nestlé provided evidence of tracking the percentage of products with whole grain as the number-one ingredient over the past three years. Nestlé is encouraged to set targets to increase levels or sales of products containing meaningful levels of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes (FVNL) and whole grains across all relevant product categories and report against them. For its CPW target, the company is recommended to publish how it defines 'whole grains' in this context, ideally using the Whole Grain Initiative definition. 'We do support the Whole Grain Initiative definition – and advocate for harmonisation of whole grain food definitions globally, using this one as standard,' Sethaelo said. This is particularly important to sub-Saharan Africa, as Nestlé has announced a $7-million (R124-million) investment to expand its cereal manufacturing facility in Harare, Zimbabwe. How else does Nestlé score? In the Nutrient Profiling Model Nestlé scored 2.6 out of 10. Nestlé reports on the healthiness of its product sales using Health Star Rating, which was originally only applied to its children and family category products in 2020, and now applies to the entire global portfolio – an improvement. However, while the company shared details with ATNi about how it categorises products according to HSR guidelines, it did so under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). To enhance transparency, Nestlé is strongly encouraged to publish the healthiness of its product sales according to HSR, excluding the plain coffee portfolio, or make it available on request, without an NDA. In terms of affordable nutrition, it scored three out of 10. For workforce nutrition, it scored seven out of 10. In terms of responsible labelling, it scored 7.5 out of 10. With responsible marketing, it scored 4.1 out of 10. Nestlé recently launched a platform called GoodNes, collaborating with South African influencers to cook 'healthier food'. For example, it featured cooking with instant noodles, which while usually low in calories, are high in sodium, fat and carbohydrates. The amount of salt in one packet of noodles far exceeds the daily recommended intake. 'The way that healthy food is promoted on the GoodNes platform includes processed meats (which are carcinogenic) and foods high in salt like: 'Maggi Lazenby stir-fry, featuring a blend of beloved brands like Maggi 2-Minute Noodles and Worcestershire Sauce.' In some ways, this is even more dangerous as they are claiming that these are healthy foods and innocent people who are trying their best for their families fall for this hidden advertising,' Goldstein said. 'What this means for countries like South Africa is that we don't have the monitors who are able to follow exactly what Nestlé are doing – in our universities – on social media, and in other spaces. Thus, they can get away with promoting unhealthy foods as healthy with no comeback. 'The limited goal of improving their foods to be healthier will not be sufficient to turn the tide against the obesity tsunami we are facing,' she concluded. DM
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Top nutritionist brands Australia's Health Star Rating system 'inaccurate' amid ADHD and cancer concerns
A leading nutritionist has accused Australia's 'inaccurate' Health Star Rating (HSR) system of 'misleading' parents as a growing number of popular lunchbox items marketed to children are linked to ADHD and cancer. Mandy Sacher, a paediatric nutritionist, says parents are being lied to by the HSR on boxes of cereals and muesli bars at their local supermarket. She says the government-backed health star rating on products marketed to children from brands such as Uncle Toby's, Milo, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi are inaccurate. Food manufacturers are responsible for the accurate use of the system, however, the rating is not compulsory and doesn't account for added processed ingredients. Ms Sacher found many popular muesli bars would score just 1.5 to 2 stars under her own 'Real Food Rating' system despite their high HRS. She said parents were being 'misled' into buying products that actually contained up to nine different types of sugar and were linked to a series of health conditions. The processed snacks are now being directly linked to behavioural issues in children, patterns of addictive eating, ADHD and mental health issues, the nutritionist said. 'A 2024 meta-analysis of more than 58,000 children showed that those consuming more ultra-processed snacks were 25 per cent more likely to exhibit ADHD symptoms,' Ms Sacher said. 'We're not just fuelling poor diets - we're actively undermining kids' behaviour, mental health, focus and long-term health.' The nutritionist has launched her own Real Food Rating which organises popular lunchbox items into five categories; Best, Good, Okay, Limit and Avoid. Products to avoid include Milo Bars, K-Time Baked Twists, Chewy Choc Chip Muesli Bars, Aldi Hillcrest Yoghurt Museli Bars, Nutri-Grain Bars, and Kellogg's LCM bars. 'With so many so-called 'healthy' products misleading parents, it was time to create a tool that truly empowers families to shop smarter. This isn't just about star ratings - this is a movement to reclaim our food and protect our kids,' Ms Sacher said. Ironically, wholefood-based bars made from nuts, seeds and dates were unrated or scored lower than those products filled with sugar and additives. 'This is not a system grounded in real nutrition - it's a marketing loophole,' she said. The nutritionist is calling on the federal government to urgently review the HSR system - which hasn't been updated since 2014. 'Brazil has already integrated food processing levels into its national dietary guidelines. France is refining Nutri-Score to address public health gaps. Canada has introduced mandatory front-of-pack warning labels,' she said.
News.com.au
03-07-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Leading pediatric nutritionist exposes food Health Star Rating system
A number of family favourite food items have been revealed to contain harmful additives and chemicals, covered up by the 'misleading' Health Star Rating (HSR) system. Pediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher said foods advertised as healthy and marketed to children with a 4-star health rating or higher actually have ingredients linked to ADHD, gut damage, cancer and addictive eating. Under current HSR rules, products can receive high star ratings for adding isolated protein or synthetic fibre, regardless of overall ingredient quality or processing level, and there is no penalty for the presence of artificial additives, refined starches or emulsifiers. Ms Sacher said the public is 'flying blind' when it comes to deciding how to pick between so-called healthy foods. 'In my view, the Health Star Rating (HSR) is a ticking public health time bomb – it could one day be seen as the asbestos scandal of our food system,' she told 'It's misleading Australian families, especially parents, by giving ultra-processed foods a health halo. 'Products full of additives, synthetic fibres, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and industrial seed oils are scoring 4 or 5 stars, yet emerging evidence links these ingredients to ADHD, gut damage, insulin resistance, anxiety, depression and even cancer.' The pediatric nutritionist said these ingredients and additives are often found in many popular muesli bar products, including those which are rated three, four and five stars under the system. 'The system completely ignores the internationally recognised NOVA scale, which classifies foods based on their level of processing,' Ms Sacher said. 'These ultra-processed snacks are engineered to override satiety and promote over consumption, yet they're being marketed to kids with government endorsement. 'Parents trust the stars. But often, the higher the rating, the more processed the product. 'That's not just confusing – it's dangerous.' She said only 32 per cent of products carry the HSR rating. 'Even the government's own 2019 review flagged serious flaws: no independent watchdog, no penalties for additives, and no consistency,' she aid. 'Six years later, nothing has changed.' When asked whether the problem lies in how the rating is calculated, or how it's communicated, Ms Sacher simply replied: 'Both.' 'The HSR scores food based only on nutrients like sugar, salt and added fibre, but it ignores how processed the food is, and what it's made from,' she said. 'Stars appear on the front of packs as a government-endorsed health symbol. Parents assume a 4-star snack is a good choice – but those stars can be manipulated by adding synthetic fibre or lab-made vitamins, even if the product is ultra-processed. 'Food tech is advancing rapidly, but the HSR hasn't been updated in over a decade, since 2014 and it doesn't account for processing, it doesn't penalise additives. 'It allows snacks made in labs to appear 'healthy' based on technical nutrient scores.' Ms Sacher believes the system rewards 'nutrient manipulation, not food integrity', with a rising number of illnesses, such as hypertension, anxiety and depression, fatty liver, and type two diabetes appearing in young children. 'These foods may disrupt gut health, hijack appetite, impair mood, and promote inflammation,' she said. 'In my opinion, if we keep rewarding fake food and penalising real food, we're not just misleading consumers – we're fuelling a preventable health crisis. '(The HSR System) needs a full reset. If 100 per cent walnuts can't get 5 stars, but kids' lollies can, we need to admit the system is broken.' The HSR system assigns packaged foods and beverages a rating based on the overall nutritional value of the product, a Department of Health, Disability and Ageing spokesperson told 'The system is designed to provide shoppers a quick, easy, and standardised way to compare similar packaged foods. The more stars, the healthier the choice,' the spokesperson said. 'For example, you can compare the HSR of a yoghurt to another yoghurt, but you should not compare the HSR of a yoghurt to a bag of chips. 'The number of stars a packaged food or beverage product displays is determined by using a strict algorithm called the HSR Calculator … developed in consultation with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and other technical and nutrition experts.' The spokesperson said the Calculator balances positive nutrients with nutrients associated with risk factors for chronic disease, with the HSR for most products based on: total energy (kilojoules), saturated fat, sodium (salt) and total sugar content. 'Consuming too much of these is linked to overweight and obesity, some cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 'A high HSR does not mean that the food or beverage provides all of the essential nutrients that are required for a balanced and healthy diet or that the product should be eaten in large quantities, or often,' the spokesperson said. 'The HSR system does not take into consideration other real, claimed or potential health effects of particular ingredients, additives, products or processing methods,' they said. 'Neither does it consider other important nutrients. 'In Australia, food additives are approved only if it can be shown no harmful effects are likely to result from their use.' A spokesperson for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) said any additives must undergo a safety assessment before being permitted for use in food sold. 'Standard 1.3.1 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code governs the use of food additives, such as preservatives, colours and emulsifiers,' they told 'These additives must comply with the safety limits specified in Schedule 15 and be clearly labelled on food products to enable consumers to make informed purchases. 'Schedule 15 also details which additives are permitted, the types of food they can be used in, and the maximum amounts allowed to ensure safe and appropriate use across different food categories.' While the body is responsible for the development and maintenance the Code, which sets out the requirements for food produced or imported for sale to ensure a safe food supply for consumers, it does not enforce them.
