# Development and validation of the Meiji Nutritional Profiling System for children

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new nutritional profiling system for children in Japan to help manufacturers create healthier food products.

## Contribution

The study develops and validates a new nutritional profiling system tailored for younger and older children in Japan.

## Key findings

- Meiji NPS scores showed significant differences between healthy and unhealthy foods (p < 0.001).
- The Meiji NPS strongly correlated with the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index 9.3 (r = 0.73).
- The system may encourage Japanese food manufacturers to reformulate products for better nutrition.

## Abstract

The Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS) takes into account life-stage differences and addresses specific health challenges in different age groups in Japan.

This study aimed to develop the Meiji NPS for younger (3–5 years) and older (6–11 years) children to encourage product reformulation and promote proper growth and development.

Meiji NPS scores for 1,091 foods listed in the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table were calculated and compared with nutrient profiles (NPs) for children developed by the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific or Nutrient-Rich Foods Index 9.3 (NRF9.3).

For younger children, the Meiji NPS scores ranged from −442.3 to 423.9, and for older children, the Meiji NPS scores ranged from −265.5 to 386.5. The Meiji NPS scores showed significant differences (p < 0.001) between healthy and unhealthy foods, when classified according to the WHO NP model. There was also a strong correlation between the Meiji NPS and NRF9.3, validating the new NPS system (r = 0.73).

The Meiji NPS for younger and older children may provide a useful incentive for Japanese food manufacturers to produce healthier products.