N O F A T, N O S U G A R , N O S A L T . . .

NO PROBLEM?
PREVALENCE OF LOW-CONTENT NUTRIENT CLAIMS
AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE NUTRITIONAL
PROFILE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE PURCHASES IN
THE UNITED STATES
L I N D S E Y S M I T H T A I L L I E , P H D ; S H U W E N N G , P H D ; Y A X U E ,
P H D ; E M I L Y B U S E Y , M P H , R D ; M A T T H E W H A R D I N G , P H D

C H E Y E N N E TAT E
P R E C E P T O R : PA M E L A J E S S U P M S , R D
STUDY QUESTIONS

Have low content claims

Has the prevalence of become more
low content claims commonly purchased
increased? from certain food
groups?

Are those purchased

Are certain sub-
with claims nutritionally
populations more
superior to those
responsive to nutritional
without a claim from
claims than others?
the same group?
THE STUDY

DESIGN: Cross-sectional
DATA ACQUISITION: database of 40,000 US households from 2008 to 2012
SES DATA: high, medium, low- based on poverty line
ETHNICITY: self reported
DATA USED: low-nutrient, no-nutrient claims
low in, reduced, or no/free of
Nutrients such as calories, fat, sodium, and sugar.
 RESULTS Most prevalent claims
Low fat
13% food and 35% of beverage purchases had a low-content claim. Low calorie
No change in prevalence over time Low sugar
Low sodium
All claims had lower mean energy, total sugar, fat and sodium
Variance among specific claim types:
Low content claims did not offer better overall profiles for the claimed nutrient than those without
claims
SOCIOECONOMIC DATA
Packaged food/ Most likely to
Noteworthy trends, but unclear reasons bev claim purchase
cultural food preferences?
claim perception? Low calorie Non Hispanic
reliance on claims in general? White
will this lead to health disparities? Low fat/sodium Asian

Socioeconomic: No Claim Non Hispanic

black
income more purchases w/ claims
NUTRITIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Food with a claim not necessarily superior product
Due to relativity in brand/category
Importance of education beyond identification of label claims
Potential confusion for consumers and justification of less healthy purchases

Ex:
Low fat labels increased serving size decreased guilt overeating
Low calorie granola < calories than other granola in that brand > higher calories than non granola
cereals
LIMITATIONS/THOUGHTS

No way to factor whether purchase was due to appeal or supply

Effect of sales/promotions in addition or in conjunction with label claims on consumer
behavior
Sheds importance on awareness of labeling standards and requirements

Moving forward
Will be interesting to see if trends change with increasing consumer awareness of health
Impacts dietitians in food science, retail/industry and counseling
REFERENCE

Xue Y, Busey E, Harding M, Ng S, Taillie L. No Fat, No Sugar, No Salt . . . No Problem? Prevalence

of Low-Content Nutrient Claims and Their Associations with the Nutritional Profile of Food
and Beverage Purchases in the United States. No Fat, No Sugar, No Salt No Problem? Prevalence of
Low-Content Nutrient Claims and Their Associations with the Nutritional Profile of Food and Beverage
Purchases in the United States. 2017;117(9): 1366-201374.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.01.011.