Nutrient Profiling: a Tool to Strengthen Nutrition Intervention in Thailand - หลักเกณฑ์การจำแนกอาหาร เพื่อการพัฒนามาตรการด้านโภชนาการในประเทศไทย

Abstract

         One of the most significant obstacles that hinder the progress of healthy eating promotion intervention is being unable to categorize food according to its nutritional value. The Thai nutrient profile (Thai NP) is a tool developed to solve such problems with an intention to support prevention and control of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study was aimed to test the ability to classify food and also validity of the Thai NP model. Classifications of 22 meals and 12 snacks were done by the Thai NP, 35 experts, and Food Standard Agency nutrient profiling (FSA NP) model which was validated and aimed to be used in regulating food advertising to children in order to prevent obesity and NCDs. The results yielded from the Thai NP were compared with those received from 35 experts and FSA NP model. Comparison between Thai NP and experts, of all rankings, identical ranks were 63.0% for meals and 72.9% for snacks. Fair agreement and very strong positive correlation were observed. When comparing Thai NP with the FSA NP model, 15 out of 22 meals were ranked at the same grade. The agreement was fair and the relationship was positively moderate. For snacks, there were 10 similarities. The ability of the Thai NP to categorize food on the basis of nutrient composition related to obesity and NCDs developments
is acceptable when compared with those of Thai experts and FSA NP. The Thai NP is a potential tool to strengthen healthy eating promotion interventions.
Key words: food classification, nutritional value, obesity, non-communicable diseases