september 2009

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The Link Between Depression, Inflammation & Pain in
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Developing the
Nutrient-Rich Foods Index

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Developing the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index

By Richard Shank

Researchers affiliated with the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (NRFC) and the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington published an article outlining the development and validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods (NRF) Index, which provides nutrient profiles for foodstuffs so that consumers may make informed choices about food quality. It was validated against the USDA’s Health Eating Index (HEI), which measures healthy eating patterns related to the five food groups. The NRF Index is meant to add to the HEI by ranking foods according to their nutrient density.

The goal of the research was to provide a more meaningful indicator of the true nutritional value of a food, beverage, or meal. To determine the NRF Index’s validity, different mathematical formulas were used to evaluate the varying combinations of nutrients. A formula that was based on 100 calories and the sum of the percent daily recommended values of nine health positive nutrients (e.g., protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and E) minus the sum of percent daily values of three health negative nutrients (saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars) was found to be most strongly related to the HEI. As a consequence, this formula was chosen as the standard bearer of the NRF.

Researchers hope to construct an easy-to-understand nutritional tool that can be utilized by the average consumer during his/her everyday nutrition decisions.
For more information, visit http://www.nutrientrichfoods.org/index.html.

Source: Fulgoni, V., Keast, D., Drewnowski, A. 2009. Development and Validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index: A tool to measure the nutritional quality of foods. Journal of Nutrition. 139:8 1549-1554.

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