title: A new classification of foods based on the extent and purpose of their processing.
abstract: This paper describes a new food classification which assigns foodstuffs according to the extent and purpose of the industrial processing applied to them. Three main groups are defined: unprocessed or minimally processed foods (group 1), processed culinary and food industry ingredients (group 2), and ultra-processed food products (group 3). The use of this classification is illustrated by applying it to data collected in the Brazilian Household Budget Survey which was conducted in 2002/2003 through a probabilistic sample of 48,470 Brazilian households. The average daily food availability was 1,792 kcal/person being 42.5% from group 1 (mostly rice and beans and meat and milk), 37.5% from group 2 (mostly vegetable oils, sugar, and flours), and 20% from group 3 (mostly breads, biscuits, sweets, soft drinks, and sausages). The share of group 3 foods increased with income, and represented almost one third of all calories in higher income households. The impact of the replacement of group 1 foods and group 2 ingredients by group 3 products on the overall quality of the diet, eating patterns and health is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. carlosam@usp.br
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Renata Bertazzi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Rafael Moreira
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Claro
authors.forename: Inês Rugani Ribeiro de
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cannon
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005502:Food / Q000145:classification*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016014:Linear Models