Table 1.
Summary of selected nutrient profile models
| Method | Description and comments | Macronutrients | Vitamins | Minerals | Nutrients to limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutritional Quality Index (NQI)( 21 ) | NQI=(Nutrient/RDA n )/(kcal/1000). This is not a total score since values are calculated separately for each nutrient, n | Protein, fibre, MUFA, CHO | Vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin | Ca, Fe | Total fat, SFA, cholesterol, Na |
| Calorie for Nutrient (CFN)( 22 ) | CFN=ED/Σ1–3(%DV)/13. Based on 100 g | Protein | Vitamins A, C, B1, B6, B12, niacin, folate | Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg | |
| Nutrient for Calorie (NFC)( 23 ) | NFC=[Σ1–12(%DV)/12] – [Σ1–2(%DV)/2] | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, E, B12 | Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg, K, P | SFA, Na |
| Nutritious Food Index (NFI)( 24 ) | NFI=Σ(w DFC/RDI+w LDFC/RDI). Sum of weighted (w) desirable (DFC) and less desirable (LDFC) food components, each divided by the RDI; based on servings | Fibre | Vitamins A, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate | Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg, K, P | Total fat, SFA, cholesterol, Na |
| Naturally Nutrient Rich Score (NNR)( 25 ) | NNR=Σ1–15[(Nutrient/DV) ×100]/15. Unweighted arithmetic mean; based on 8368 kJ (2000 kcal) and capped at 2000 % DV | Protein, MUFA | Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B6, B12, folate | Ca, Fe, Zn, K | |
| Ratio of Recommended to Restricted (RRR)( 26 ) | RRR=Σ(Nutrientrecommended/6)/Σ(Nutrientrestricted/5). Based on servings | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C | Ca, Fe | Energy, SFA, total sugar, cholesterol, Na |
| Nutrient-Rich Foods Index (NRF)( 6 ) | NRF n =[Σ1–n (Nutrient/DV) ×100]/(n/ED). Unweighted arithmetic mean of %DV for n nutrients; based 418 kJ (100 kcal) | ||||
| NRF 6(·3) | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C | Ca, Fe | ||
| NRF 9(·3) | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, E | Ca, Fe, Mg, K | ||
| NRF 11(·3) | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, D, E, B12 | Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn, K | ||
| NRF 15(·3) | Protein, fibre, MUFA | Vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin, B12, folate | Ca, Fe, Zn, K | ||
| NRF n.3 | NRF n – LIM RACC | SFA, added sugars, Na | |||
| Nutrient Adequacy Score (NAS)( 74 ) | NAS=[Σ(Nutrienti/DV i )×100]/16. The NAS is the mean of %DV per 418 kJ (100 kcal); note: values are based on the French DV | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin B6, B12, niacin, folate, panthothenic acid | Ca, Fe, Mg | |
| Nutrient Density Score (NDS)( 75 ) | NDS n =NAR n /ED×100. Based on 418 kJ (100 kcal). Can also be used with nutrients to limit=SFA, simple added sugars, Na (see immediately below) | ||||
| NDS 5 | Protein, fibre | Vitamin C | Ca, Fe | ||
| NDS 6 | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C | Ca, Fe | ||
| NDS 9 | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, E | Ca, Fe, Mg, K | ||
| NDS 15 | Protein, fibre | Vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid B6, B12, folate | Ca, Fe, Mg | ||
| NDS 23 | Protein, fibre, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, DHA | Vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate | Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg, K, Cu, iodine, Se | ||
| Unilever Nutrition Score( 76 ) | This is a categorical classification of nutrients to limit, based on increasingly stringent benchmark classifications | SFA, trans-fat, sugar (total and added), Na | |||
| Weighted NDS (WNDS)( 5 ) | WNDS=[Σ(Nutrientpositive/DV–Σ(Nutrientnegative/DV)]. Nutrient value of foods used was per 418 kJ (100 kcal). Multiple models were run with up to 16 nutrients (all capped at 100 % of the DV); the 8-nutrient model (shown) explained 65 % of variation in HEI scores; to increase the variation to 66 %, three additional nutrients (vitamin D, K and folic acid) would need to be added | Protein, fibre, unsaturated fatty acids | Vitamin C | Ca | SFA, added sugars, Na |
RDA, Recommended Dietary Allowance; DV, Daily Value; ED, energy density; RDI, Reference Daily Intake; LIM, limit; RACC, Reference Amount Customarily Consumed; MRV, maximum recommended value; HEI, Healthy Eating Index; CHO, carbohydrates.