title: Comparison of nutrient profiling schemes for restricting the marketing of food and drink to children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The food and beverage industry have made voluntary pledges to reduce children's exposure to the marketing of energy-dense foods and beverages, and in 2012 announced the replacement of company-specific nutrient profiling schemes with uniform sets of criteria from 2013 (in the USA) and 2014 (in the European Union [EU]).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the proposed USA and EU nutrient profiling schemes and three government-led schemes, paying particular attention to the differences in sugar criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food and beverage products permitted to be advertised in the USA under pre-2013 criteria were examined using five nutrient profiling schemes: the forthcoming USA and EU schemes and three government-approved schemes: the US Interagency Working Group (IWG) proposals, the United Kingdom Office of Communications (OfCom) regulations and the Danish Forum co-regulatory Code.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under the new USA and EU nutrient profiling schemes, 88 (49%) and 73 (41%) of a total of 178 products would be permitted to be advertised, respectively. The US IWG permitted 25 (14%) products; the Ofcom regulations permitted 65 (37%) and the Danish Code permitted 13 (7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Government-led schemes are significantly more restrictive than industry-led schemes, primarily due to their tougher sugar criteria. The Danish Forum (93%) and USA IWG scheme (86%) are the most restrictive of the five examined. Further harmonization of nutrient profiling schemes is needed to reduce children's exposure to the promotion of energy-dense foods.
authors.affiliation: International Association for the Study of Obesity, London, UK. hbrinsden@iaso.org
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brinsden
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lobstein
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences; D005062:European Union; D005502:Food; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D040241:Social Marketing; D014481:United States
keywords: Marketing; nutrient profiling; obesity; sugar