UK Nutrient Profiling Model technical guidance

Summary

This Food Standards Agency (FSA) document provides the official technical guidance for applying the UK Nutrient Profiling Model, the scoring system used to determine whether foods and beverages meet the threshold to be classified as 'less healthy' for regulatory purposes, including restrictions on advertising to children. It details the scoring algorithm, data inputs, and decision rules that underpin the model. The guidance serves as a reference for industry, regulators, and researchers applying the NPM in a UK policy context.

UK applicability

This document is directly applicable to UK food policy and regulatory practice, providing the definitive technical framework used by the Advertising Standards Authority and underpinning proposed restrictions on the promotion of less healthy foods. It reflects UK-specific regulatory priorities and dietary reference values.

Key measures

Nutrient profile scores per 100 g of food; threshold scores distinguishing 'less healthy' from 'healthier' classifications; component scores for nutrients of concern and beneficial nutrients

Outcomes reported

The document sets out the technical methodology and scoring criteria underpinning the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM), which is used to classify foods as less healthy or healthier for regulatory and advertising restriction purposes. It likely reports how foods are scored based on energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium, fruit/vegetable/nut content, fibre, and protein.

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