# Modelling Food Substitution Using the Ofcom Nutrient Profiling Model on Population Intakes from the Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition 2015

## TL;DR

This study models how replacing Canadian foods with healthier alternatives based on nutrient profiling could reduce intake of harmful nutrients.

## Contribution

The study applies the Ofcom nutrient profiling model to Canadian dietary data to assess the impact of food substitution on population nutrition.

## Key findings

- Only 2.9% of foods had healthier Euromonitor alternatives with lower Ofcom scores.
- Substituting foods with more favorable NP scores reduced intakes of calories, sodium, saturated fat, and sugars.
- Scenario 2B increased calorie intake despite improvements in other nutrients.

## Abstract

This study aimed to model how substituting foods consumed by Canadians for alternatives with more favourable nutrient profiling (NP) scores would impact dietary intakes. The Ofcom NP system, developed to help the UK Office of Communication differentiate foods that can be advertised to children, was applied to foods consumed by Canadians aged 2 years and older in the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) (n = 19,447). Foods were substituted for similar options from the Euromonitor branded food composition database (Scenario 1) or from the primarily aggregated food profiles in the CCHS survey food composition database (Scenario 2) with either the most favourable (optimistic; 1A and 2A) or a more favourable Ofcom score (realistic; 1B and 2B). Mean intakes of Ofcom scores, calories, saturated fat, sugars, and sodium from these scenarios were compared to baseline. Only 2.9% of foods consumed had a similar Euromonitor option with a lower Ofcom score. Scenarios 1A, 1B, and 2A had lower Ofcom scores, calorie, sodium, saturated fat, and sugar intakes compared to baseline. Scenario 2B had lower levels of all outcome measures, except for an increase in calories compared to baseline. Selection of foods with more favourable NP scores has the potential to decrease the Canadian intake of nutrients of concern.