Exploring the impact of food product reformulation on population food choice and diet quality
File(s)
Author(s)
Gressier, Mathilde
Type
Thesis
Abstract
Background
Poor dietary habits have been recognized as playing a major role in non-communicable diseases. To improve population dietary intake, governments use food reformulation policies aimed at improving the nutrient profile of foods. This thesis aims at understanding how populations and individuals respond to the reformulation of foods.
Methods
Two types of data were used to analyse responses to food reformulation in the UK. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey was used to study the changes in dietary intakes following salt and fibre reformulations. Panels of household purchase were used to study households’ responses to sugar reformulation. Adjusted time trends were used to study changes over time. A decomposition method was used to understand how changes in the nutrient density of foods consumed or purchased can be explained by changes in consumer demand for, and supply of, foods.
Results
Food reformulation was linked to improved dietary intake or purchase. These improvements were rather small, but similar across socio-demographic groups. The different decomposition analyses showed that the change in the nutrient density of foods purchased or consumed came mostly from supply-driven effects. Changes in consumer choices had a marginal mean effect, except in the presence of a tax. Further, the extent to which households consumed reformulated products did not influence their change in sugar purchases. Lastly, stronger incentives such as taxes were more effective in promoting reformulation than voluntary initiatives.
Conclusions
Reformulating foods leads to improved dietary intake. Despite being small, these improvements are not negligible and don’t widen existing disparities. Taxing unhealthy products produced a change in consumer food choices, while it did not happen in the absence of such taxes. Given the gap between current and recommended dietary intake, policies to incentivise reformulation should be used alongside other policies aimed at improving food choices at the population level.
Poor dietary habits have been recognized as playing a major role in non-communicable diseases. To improve population dietary intake, governments use food reformulation policies aimed at improving the nutrient profile of foods. This thesis aims at understanding how populations and individuals respond to the reformulation of foods.
Methods
Two types of data were used to analyse responses to food reformulation in the UK. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey was used to study the changes in dietary intakes following salt and fibre reformulations. Panels of household purchase were used to study households’ responses to sugar reformulation. Adjusted time trends were used to study changes over time. A decomposition method was used to understand how changes in the nutrient density of foods consumed or purchased can be explained by changes in consumer demand for, and supply of, foods.
Results
Food reformulation was linked to improved dietary intake or purchase. These improvements were rather small, but similar across socio-demographic groups. The different decomposition analyses showed that the change in the nutrient density of foods purchased or consumed came mostly from supply-driven effects. Changes in consumer choices had a marginal mean effect, except in the presence of a tax. Further, the extent to which households consumed reformulated products did not influence their change in sugar purchases. Lastly, stronger incentives such as taxes were more effective in promoting reformulation than voluntary initiatives.
Conclusions
Reformulating foods leads to improved dietary intake. Despite being small, these improvements are not negligible and don’t widen existing disparities. Taxing unhealthy products produced a change in consumer food choices, while it did not happen in the absence of such taxes. Given the gap between current and recommended dietary intake, policies to incentivise reformulation should be used alongside other policies aimed at improving food choices at the population level.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2022-01
Date Awarded
2022-07
Copyright Statement
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial Licence
License URL
Advisor
Frost, Gary
Sassi, Franco
Sponsor
Nestlé
Publisher Department
Department of Medicine
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)