Nutrient profiling, also nutritional profiling, is the science of classifying or ranking foods by their
nutritional composition in order to promote
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
and prevent
disease
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
.
A common use of nutrient profiling is in the creation of
nutritional rating systems
Nutritional rating systems are used to communicate the nutritional value of food in a more-simplified manner, with a ranking (or rating), than nutrition facts labels. A system may be targeted at a specific audience. Rating systems have been develop ...
to help consumers identify nutritious food.
A variety of nutrient profile models have been developed by academics, health organizations, national governments and the food industry. The development or selection of a model to use in food policy decisions is important, as different models can lead to different classifications of the same foods.
See also
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Junk food
"Junk food" is a term used to describe food that is high in calories from sugar and/or fat, and possibly also sodium, but with little dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, or other important forms of nutritional value. It is also known as HF ...
*
Nutrition facts label
The nutrition facts label (also known as the nutrition information panel, and other slight variations) is a label required on most packaged food in many countries, showing what nutrients and other ingredients (to limit and get enough of) are in t ...
References
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Nutrition