Processing level and diet quality of the US grocery cart: is there an association?

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Juul, Filippa Simões, Bárbara Dos Santos Litvak, Jacqueline Martinez-Steele, Euridice Deierlein, Andrea Vadiveloo, Maya Parekh, Niyati
Copyright Year	2019
Abstract	Objective: : The majority of groceries purchased by US households are industrially processed, yet it is unclear how processing level influences diet quality. We sought to determine if processing level is associated with diet quality of grocery purchases.Design: : We analysed grocery purchasing data from the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey 2012–2013. Household grocery purchases were categorized by the NOVA framework as minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods or ultra-processed foods. The energy share of each processing level (percentage of energy; %E) and Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) component and total scores were calculated for each household’s purchases. The association between %E from processed foods and ultra-processed foods, respectively, and HEI-2015 total score was determined by multivariable linear regression. Foods purchased by households with the highest v. lowest ultra-processed food purchases and HEI-2015 total score <40 v. ≥60 were compared using linear regression.Setting: : USA.Participants: : Nationally representative sample of 3961 households.Results: : Processed foods and ultra-processed foods provided 9·2 (se 0·3) % and 55·8 (se 0·6) % of purchased energy, respectively. Mean HEI-2015 score was 54·7 (se 0·4). Substituting 10 %E from minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients for ultra-processed foods decreased total HEI-2015 score by 1·8 points (β = −1·8; 95 % CI −2·0, −1·5). Processed food purchases were not associated with diet quality. Among households with high ultra-processed food purchases, those with HEI-2015 score <40 purchased less minimally processed plant-foods than households with HEI-2015 score ≥60.Conclusions: : Increasing purchases of minimally processed foods, decreasing purchases of ultra-processed foods and selecting healthier foods at each processing level may improve diet quality.
Related Links	https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/9151F5653876DB18AF49D0D5F34C9FE9/S1368980019001344a.pdf/div-class-title-processing-level-and-diet-quality-of-the-us-grocery-cart-is-there-an-association-div.pdf
Ending Page	2366
Page Count	10
Starting Page	2357
ISSN	13689800
e-ISSN	14752727
DOI	10.1017/S1368980019001344
Journal	Public Health Nutrition
Issue Number	13
Volume Number	22
Language	English
Publisher	Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publisher Date	2019-09-01
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Public Health Nutrition Nutrition and Dietetics Diet Quality 2015 processed Food
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Nutrition and Dietetics Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health