Nutrient profiling is “the science of classifying or ranking foods according to their nutritional composition for reasons related to preventing disease and promoting health”. Nutrient profile models can be used for various purposes. Classification of foods and drinks according to their nutritional composition allows comparisons.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe developed a nutrient profile model in 2015 in order to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children in the Region and, in 2019, launched a draft nutrient profile model to address inappropriate marketing of commercially available complementary foods for infants and young children.
This report summarizes the proceedings of an expert meeting on use of nutrient profile models in the WHO European Region in September 2021, convened by the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, with proposed revisions to the regional nutrient profile model for restricting marketing of unhealthy foods and finalization of the baby food model, exploring use of nutrient profile models for front-of-pack labelling and the possibilities of applying nutrient profiling to health taxes on food and for healthy, sustainable diets.