The development of a nutrient profiling model assessing healthfulness of packaged foods for adults in the low-income context of South Africa

Abstract

South Africa is facing high, and increasing levels of overweight, obesity and nutritionrelated non-communicable diseases. These conditions have been linked to poor health outcomes that disproportionately affect the poorest, and place an undue burden on the health system and South African economy. The proliferation of ultra-processed products (UPPs) is in part to blame for this. To assess dietary intake and UPP consumption amongst low-income adults in South Africa, and to develop and test a nutrient profiling model (NPM) assessing healthfulness of foods available and consumed by adults in the low-income context of South Africa to the extent that it provides the potential to underpin a front-of-package warning label system.