HEALTH ALERT: TRAFFIC-LIGHT’ LABELING PROMOTES HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES

TRAFFIC-LIGHT’ LABELING PROMOTES HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES

Published October 18, 2013 in Food Product Design

Posted in News, Science & Research, Diet, Nutrition, Labeling, Healthy, Healthy Foods, Beverages,Menu, Foodservice, Retail, Calorie, Calorie Reduction, Fats/Oils, Sweeteners, Cholesterol, Sodium,Vitamins / Minerals, Sugar, Sucrose, Bakery / Cereal, Dairy, Confectionery, Fruits / Vegetables, Fruit,Vegetable, Grains / Pasta / Tuber, Snack Foods, Bakery, Cereal

BOSTON—New research published in the journal Preventative Medicine supports the thinking that using“traffic-light" labeling on foods and beverages to reflect the nutritional quality of items can be an effective method of promoting healthier choices.

In the paper, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators describe customer responses to surveys taken before and after the 2010 implementation of a system using green, yellow or red "traffic light" labels on food and beverage items in the hospital’s foodservice locations.

"Several small, experimental studies have suggested that 'traffic light' labels can be an effective method of promoting healthier choices, but there have been few real-world studies of customers' perceptions and purchasing behaviors in response to this type of labeling," said Lillian Sonnenberg, DSc, RD, LDN, MGH Nutrition and Food Service, the corresponding author of the current report. "Our results suggest that these labels are an effective method for conveying information about healthy and unhealthy choices and for prompting changes in purchasing behavior."

Interpreting calorie counts, fat, cholesterol and sodium content on menus can be difficult, and the researchers wanted to find a simpler way to encourage more healthful purchases at the hospital. MGH Nutrition and Food Service put together a plan that started with color-coding each item sold in the main cafeteria—green for the healthiest items, such as fruits, vegetables and lean meats; yellow for less healthy items, and red for those with little or no nutritional value. Signage encouraged frequent purchase of green items, less frequent for yellow and discouraged purchase of red items. Cafeteria cash registers were programmed to record each purchased item as green, yellow or red, starting three months before the labeling intervention began.

Previous reports from the MGH team have described how the program—a second phase of which included rearranging items in refrigerators to bring healthy choices to eye level—increased sales of green items while decreasing purchase of red items. The current paper reports results of a survey taken during the month before and the two months after the labeling intervention began in March 2010.
Research coordinators approached customers who had just made purchases and asked them to participate in the brief survey. Participants were asked whether they had noticed any nutritional information in the cafeteria or on food labels, which factors most influenced their purchases, how often they consider nutrition information before making food choices, and how often they "choose food that is healthy." After introduction of the color-coded labels, respondents were also asked whether they had noticed the labels and if the labels had influenced their purchases.

During the baseline period before the labeling intervention, 204 individuals completed the survey, and 243 did so in the weeks following. While 46% of respondents indicated that health/nutrition was an important factor in their choices at baseline, 61% did so after the intervention. The percentage of those indicating that they looked at available nutritional information before a purchase doubled from 15% to 33%, although there was no significant difference in the percentage reporting they usually or always choose healthy foods. Respondents who reported noticing the new labels bought a greater proportion of green items and fewer red items than did those who did not notice, and the influence was even stronger among those who indicated being influenced by the labels.

Sources:

• EurekAlert: 'Traffic-light' labeling increases attention to nutritional quality of food choices

Check out my latest e-book entitled: "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain"

The book is available on Amazon and Kindle for $4.99 USD. Visit amazon/Kindle to order now:
http://www.amazon.ca/Social-Media-Marketing-Agri-Foods-ebook/dp/B00C42OB3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364756966&sr=1-1

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HEALTH ALERT: STUDY SHOWS SUBTLE HEALTH EFFECTS OF VEGETABLES

STUDY SHOWS SUBTLE HEALTH EFFECTS OF VEGETABLES

Published May 23, 2013 in Food Product Design

ZEIST, Netherlands—TNO researchers demonstrated the subtle health effects of vegetables for the first time, according to a new study published in the journal Genes and Nutrition. The findings support the Dutch Health Council’s recommendation to consume 150-200 grams vegetables per day.

Researchers used an innovative nutrigenomics-approach that enables accurate assessment of the subtle health effects of foods. To evaluate this method, TNO conducted an intervention study with 32 males. The trials lasted four weeks and followed a randomized schedule. Participants ate either 50 grams (low consumption) or 200 grams (high consumption) of vegetables per day, and they received weekly rations of fresh and canned vegetables to prepare and consume at home and could decide for themselves what they consumed on which day of the week.

Afterward, all subjects underwent four weeks of energy restriction (60% of normal energy intake). Despite the limited weight loss for the obese due to energy restriction, beneficial health effects were found, including lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HbA1c concentrations.

The high vegetable intake resulted in increased levels of plasma amino acid metabolites, decreased levels of 9-HODE and prostaglandin D3, and decreased levels of ASAT and ALP compared to low vegetable intake. Adipose tissue gene expression changes in response to vegetable intake were identified, and sets of selected genes were submitted to network analysis.

The network of inflammation genes illustrated a central role for NFkB in (adipose tissue) modulation of inflammation by increased vegetable intake, in lean as well as obese subjects. In obese subjects, high vegetable intake also resulted in changes related to energy metabolism, adhesion and inflammation.
Using these results, researchers also found  that part of vegetables’ health benefits are mediated by changes in energy metabolism, inflammatory processes and oxidative stress.

Sources:

• TNO: TNO Study Demonstrates Subtle Health Effects of Vegetables

Check out my latest e-book entitled: "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain".  

The book is available on Amazon and Kindle for $4.99 USD. Visit amazon/Kindle to order now:
http://www.amazon.ca/Social-Media-Marketing-Agri-Foods-ebook/dp/B00C42OB3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364756966&sr=1-1

Written by Bruce MacDonald, a 30 year veteran of the Agri-food industry, in "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain", Bruce applies his background and expertise in Agri-foods and social media to the latest trends, tools and methodologies needed to craft a successful on-line campaign. While the book focuses on the Agri-food market specifically, I believe that many of the points Bruce makes are equally applicable to most other industries.

UNHEALTHY FOOD ADS DOMINATE SPANISH TV SHOWS FOR KIDS

Published May 15, 2013 in Food Product Design

PRINCETON, N.J.—Industry leaders have publicly recognized the need to reform food advertisements targeting children; however, the food and beverage industry’s pledge to self-regulate is not effective, especially on Spanish-language television, according to a new study published in the Journal of Health Communication.

The study, “Food Marketing to Children on U.S. Spanish-Language Television," was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Healthy Eating Research program, and is the first large-scale effort to analyze food and beverage advertising on Spanish-language children’s television.

According to the findings, more than 84% of all foods and beverages advertised to children on Spanish-language television shows are unhealthy. Among companies that pledged to reform their child-directed advertising practices to encourage healthier choices, 78% of ads for children on Spanish-language television and 69% of ads for children on English-language television were for unhealthy foods or drinks.
“All children, and especially Latinos, are bombarded with television ads that sell junk food and sugary drinks," said Dale Kunkel, professor of communication at the University of Arizona and the lead author of the study. “These findings are particularly concerning given the high rates of obesity among Latino youths."

Kunkel and his colleagues analyzed the ad content for 158 Spanish-language television shows for children and compared them with those found on 139 English-language programs. The ads analyzed for the study were collected between February and April 2009. The majority of child-directed ads (84% on Spanish shows and 74% on English shows) promoted Whoa products, such as candy, sugary cereals, fries and sodas, which fall into the poorest nutritional category as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Whoa products are high in calories, fats and/or added sugar. The DHHS recommends very limited consumption of such items.

They also found fast-food commercials accounted for 46% of all child-targeted food advertising on Spanish-language television, and 78% of all Spanish-language food ads used popular cartoon characters to market Whoa products. The same was true for 49% of English-language ads. Ads for healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, were extremely rare, accounting for just 1% or fewer of all ads in either language.

In 2006, the Council of Better Business Bureaus launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, a voluntary pledge by major U.S. food manufacturers to advertise only healthier and/or better-for-you dietary choices to children under 12. More than a dozen companies now participate, but according to the study authors, many of the companies defined “healthy" to include products that are high in sugar, saturated fats and empty calories.

“Our findings suggest that the food and beverage industry’s pledge to self-regulate is not effective, especially on Spanish-language television," Kunkel said. “Most of the ads aimed at kids feature Whoa products, so clearly there’s a big gap between the industry’s definition of healthy and what nutrition experts say."

Previous research shows that the marketing of high-calorie and nutrient-poor foods and beverages is linked to overweight and obesity among children and youths in the United States.

The researchers said Latino children spend an average of five hours a day watching television and may be particularly vulnerable to ads selling an American lifestyle, one that features popular—but unhealthy foods. Latino children also have disproportionately high rates of obesity: in 2007-2008, 41.7% of Mexican-American children ages 6 to 11 years were obese or overweight compared with 34.5% of Caucasian children the same age.

Sources:

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Unhealthy Food Ads Dominate Spanish TV Shows for Kids

Check out my latest e-book entitled: "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain".  

The book is available on Amazon and Kindle for $4.99 USD. Visit amazon/Kindle to order now:
http://www.amazon.ca/Social-Media-Marketing-Agri-Foods-ebook/dp/B00C42OB3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364756966&sr=1-1

Written by Bruce MacDonald, a 30 year veteran of the Agri-food industry, in "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain", Bruce applies his background and expertise in Agri-foods and social media to the latest trends, tools and methodologies needed to craft a successful on-line campaign. While the book focuses on the Agri-food market specifically, I believe that many of the points Bruce makes are equally applicable to most other industries.

‘HEALTHY’ FOODS MARKETED TO KIDS IN UK FALL SHORT

HATFIELD, United Kingdom—Foods marketed to children in the United Kingdom that are often considered to be healthy, such as yogurts, cereal bars and ready-to-eat meals, are higher in fat, sugar and salt than those marketed to the general population, according to a new study published in the Public Health Nutrition Journal. The findings question whether more guidelines may be needed in regulating food marketed to children.

With the rise in childhood obesity across Europe, there has been much attention on how governments can reduce the advertising of products with high fat, sugar and/or salt levels, directly to children. Much of the focus has been on snack foods like confectionery and soft drinks.

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire conducted the study to determine whether foods marketed to children in UK supermarkets are nutritionally similar to the non-children's equivalent, focusing on food categories that may be viewed as healthier options. Nutritional data was collected on yogurts, cereal bars and ready-to-eat meals from seven major UK supermarkets and categorized as children’s or non-children’s products based on the characteristic, promotional nature or information on the product packaging.  Fat, sugar and salt content was compared per 100g and per recommended portion size.

They found per 100g, children's yogurts and cereal bars were higher in total sugars, fat and saturated fat than the non-children's. This was significant for all except sugar and total fat in cereal bars. Per portion the differences remained, except for sugars in yogurts. Conversely children's ready-to-eat meals were significantly lower in these nutrients per portion than non-children's, but not when expressed per 100g. Children's yogurts and ready-to-eat meals had significantly lower sodium content than non-children's both per portion and per 100g.

“Consumers may think that foods marketed for children, using cartoon characters and promoted for lunchboxes might be healthier options than the equivalent foods marketed more for adults. In fact we found that it was the opposite," the researchers said. “Foods like yogurts and cereal bars often had substantially more fat and sugar per 100g than similar adult-version products. This is very worrying and does not help consumers’ confidence in choosing appropriate healthy foods for their children."

Check out my latest e-book entitled: "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain".  

The book is available on Amazon and Kindle for $4.99 USD. Visit amazon/Kindle to order now:
http://www.amazon.ca/Social-Media-Marketing-Agri-Foods-ebook/dp/B00C42OB3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364756966&sr=1-1

Written by Bruce MacDonald, a 30 year veteran of the Agri-food industry, in "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain", Bruce applies his background and expertise in Agri-foods and social media to the latest trends, tools and methodologies needed to craft a successful on-line campaign. While the book focuses on the Agri-food market specifically, I believe that many of the points Bruce makes are equally applicable to most other industries.

Digital Health: Will Pharma Follow or Lead?

Time to step up or step out of the way?

The digital health movement is growing rapidly.  Almost everyday we hear of new technology, apps and ideas that bring the promise of improved medical care, health and wellness. From hand-held ultrasound devices to smart phone arrhythmia monitoring, the digital health movement isn’t only about expensive pedometers and the ‘gym elite’ but about key areas in health and wellness that will have a direct impact on medical care.    Pharma–for better or worse–has a seat at this table.

Concept and Illustration: Peter Zamiska

Yet there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between pharma and many of the innovations that are emerging. Perhaps it’s the very nature of these innovations that conflicts with the conservative pharmaceutical industry.  Perhaps it’s still a period of ‘watchful waiting’.  Or even, it could be yesterday’s brand managers, sales reps and administrators who, while caressing the piles of pills that define an industry, are just missing what many define as the next revolution since the personal computer.

Whatever the case, there are many compelling reasons for pharma to embrace digital health.  If not for today, certainly in the not so distant future.

The pressures on the practice of medicine are numerous.  From healthcare reform to the tsunami of clinical information and data, today’s providers are looking for ways to care and to cope.  Technology is an essential part of the solution.  And digital health is a central part of this equation.   The touch points for pharma are numerous and represent areas for engagement and support.  On demand information and analytics will shift the focus from bed side ‘rote memorization’  to “augmented digital expression” where a differential diagnosis and interventions come with the aid of a hand-held computer screen.  Further, the looming role of the electronic medical record will also set into motion a transformation from paper to electrons will catalyze the digital health movement and accelerate adoption. Many of these changes are happening now as a new generation of medical students begin to use their smart phones at bedside as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool with the same zeal as yesterday’s physicians who clung to their stethoscopes as validation of their clinical acumen.  The future of medical practice and pharmaceutical selling

The traditional role of the sales rep must also change.  The consultative nature of the brand detail will shift in parallel with the technology-driven changes in practice.  Pressing the flesh will transform to clinking a link and clinicians will adopt the conventions of today’s consumers and seek information in a controlled on-line setting. But perhaps more importantly, the days of typical case studies and efficacy charts will be replaced with a richer and more compelling presentation that are consistent with what this ‘techno’ generational  will simply expect.   And the experts themselves will change too–the standard practice of expert professorial engagement and peer to peer influence may be enhanced by none other than IBM IBM -8.28%‘s Watson and other ‘electronic’ thought-leaders.

Patients and caregivers will play an important role in the evolution of healthcare and digital health.  The emergence of “citizen scientists” who are empowered by increasingly focused and filtered information will act–alone and with like-minded people–to take greater control of care.  Self-advocacy will change ‘population-based’ treatment guidelines to more personalized care.  And the pandering “ask your doctor” headlines of DTC advertisements will shift to data-based claims that empower the patient and make a much stronger and direct link between the pharmaceutical industry and the true end-user, not the physician.

Maybe it’s digital narcolepsy?

Whatever the cause,  pharma needs to take notice. The cases studies and talking points that drive a traditional brand detail must be rethought and redefined in the context of tomorrow’s clinical reality.  A reality that’s actually happening today.