New Scoring System to Debut

News EditorIndustry News, Nutrition

smoothieA new label may soon be appearing on your food at the grocery store, a label called the Overall Nutritional Quality Index, or ONQI, score. The index was developed by a panel of nutrition experts and assigns a score of 1-100 to over 20,000 foods. The rating system is based on a complex algorithm that analyzes the nutritional makeup of the food.

“I’ve been counseling patients for 20 years, and I’ve seen the problems they face with real-life nutrition decisions. You need a Ph.D. in chemistry to find something healthy at the grocery store,” said David Katz, director of the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center and developer of the rating system. Katz formed his own research group and with money from Yale’s Griffin Hospital, he developed a new labeling system.

In February, Topco Associates, a grocery distribution cooperative owned by independent grocers, joined Katz and offered to introduce the ONQI labels in stores belonging to its members. Topco grocers own about 13,000 stores nationwide, including the Raley’s chain, which is part of the first rollout.

Katz’s group isn’t the only one developing a new labeling system, although it will be the first to launch one nationwide. Maine-based Hannaford Supermarkets, a chain of grocery stores, will begin licensing its labeling system, called Guiding Stars, to other chains sometime next year. The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition, a group made up of food producers and manufacturers, is also developing labeling guidelines. At the same time, diet and nutrition experts are pressuring the federal government to create a single labeling system that would be used on every product at every store. Some nutritionists worry that multiple labeling systems will just befuddle consumers even more than they already are.

The concerns are not lost on Katz, who acknowledges that there are limitations to the ONQI system. Over time, he said, he’d like to create labels specifically for people with certain health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes. The goal of the ONQI system is to distill the nutrition information already available to consumers into a score that is simple and easy for shoppers to understand.

9 Comments on “New Scoring System to Debut”

  1. There is another nutritional rating system available right now. The Nutripoints(TM) Program Program for Optimal Nutrition, has been out for nearly 18 years now worldwide. Nutripoints rates 3600+ basic foods, brand name foods, and fast foods for 26 key nutrients and gives one “Nutripoint” score, which tells you the overall nutritional value of the food. Eat 100 Nutripoints from 6 food groups each day and you will achieve the goals and recommendations of the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetics Association automatically. The goal is “Healthy Eating Made Simple!”The program has been used successfully by individuals, patients, and wellness program participants in the U.S. and abroad. There is a free Nutripoint QuickCheck(TM) on our website for those who would like to try it out to evaluate their diet.

  2. There is another nutritional rating system available right now. The Nutripoints(TM) Program Program for Optimal Nutrition, has been out for nearly 18 years now worldwide. Nutripoints rates 3600+ basic foods, brand name foods, and fast foods for 26 key nutrients and gives one “Nutripoint” score, which tells you the overall nutritional value of the food. Eat 100 Nutripoints from 6 food groups each day and you will achieve the goals and recommendations of the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetics Association automatically. The goal is “Healthy Eating Made Simple!”The program has been used successfully by individuals, patients, and wellness program participants in the U.S. and abroad. There is a free Nutripoint QuickCheck(TM) on our website for those who would like to try it out to evaluate their diet.

  3. There is another nutritional rating system available right now. The Nutripoints(TM) Program Program for Optimal Nutrition, has been out for nearly 18 years now worldwide. Nutripoints rates 3600+ basic foods, brand name foods, and fast foods for 26 key nutrients and gives one “Nutripoint” score, which tells you the overall nutritional value of the food. Eat 100 Nutripoints from 6 food groups each day and you will achieve the goals and recommendations of the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetics Association automatically. The goal is “Healthy Eating Made Simple!”The program has been used successfully by individuals, patients, and wellness program participants in the U.S. and abroad. There is a free Nutripoint QuickCheck(TM) on our website for those who would like to try it out to evaluate their diet.

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