Table 3.
Results of the linear regression analyses examining calories, sodium, saturated fat, total sugars, free sugars, fibre and protein per 100 g (or 100 mL) by level of processing according to both the NOVA and Poti et al. classification systems (n = 17,269) 1,2,3.
| NOVA | Poti et al. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient/Component | Unprocessed/Minimally Processed | Processed Culinary Ingredients | Processed Foods | Ultra-Processed 3 | Unprocessed/Minimally Processed | Basic Processed | Moderately Processed | Highly Processed 3 | |
| Calories (kcal) | β | 16.51 | −3.87 | 13.14 | Reference | 13.24 | 20.35 | 6.78 | Reference |
| 95% CI | 12.27, 20.76 | −23.14, 15.39 | 8.57–17.72 | - | 6.45, 20.02 | 14.55, 26.15 | 2.15, 11.42 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.69 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.004 | - | |
| Sodium (mg) | β | −137.67 | 1071.13 | 10.16 | Reference | −73.06 | 121.08 | 115.52 | Reference |
| 95% CI | −156.89, −118.44 | 401.21, 1741.06 | −27.81, 48.14 | - | −140.94, −5.19 | −44.85, 287.01 | 16.62, 214.41 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.002 | 0.60 | - | 0.03 | 0.15 | 0.02 | - | |
| Saturated fat (g) | β | 0.16 | 5.61 | 0.80 | Reference | 0.80 | 1.77 | 1.06 | Reference |
| 95% CI | −0.03, 0.35 | 4.02, 7.21 | 0.57, 1.02 | - | 0.51, 1.09 | 1.25, 2.30 | 0.80, 1.32 | - | |
| p-value | 0.10 | <0.001 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | - | |
| Total sugars (g) | β | −3.41 | −0.15 | −2.63 | Reference | −2.53 | −2.41 | −1.22 | Reference |
| 95% CI | −3.85, −2.97 | −2.88, 2.59 | −3.12, −2.13 | - | −3.27, −1.78 | −3.14, −1.68 | −1.86, −0.59 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.92 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | - | |
| Free sugars (g) 2 | β | −4.18 | −2.68 | −1.66 | Reference | −4.01 | −2.41 | −0.94 | Reference |
| 95% CI | −4.58, −3.78 | −5.26, −0.08 | −2.18, −1.14 | - | −4.75, −3.27 | −3.12, −1.70 | −1.51, −0.36 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.04 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.001 | - | |
| Fibre (g) | β | 1.13 | −0.15 | −0.67 | Reference | 2.42 | 0.19 | 0.50 | Reference |
| 95% CI | 0.91, 1.34 | −0.87, 0.57 | −0.85, −0.49 | - | 2.04, 2.81 | −0.08, 0.47 | 0.30, 0.69 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.69 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | 0.17 | <0.001 | - | |
| Protein (g) | β | 2.39 | −0.28 | 1.77 | Reference | 3.64 | 1.32 | 1.54 | Reference |
| 95% CI | 2.16, 2.62 | −1.03, 0.46 | 1.44, 2.10 | - | 3.28, 3.99 | 1.06, 1.58 | 1.27, 1.81 | - | |
| p-value | <0.001 | 0.47 | <0.001 | - | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 | - | |
1 All models were adjusted for food category (defined in Health Canada’s Table of Reference Amounts for Food) [37]. 2 Distributions of free sugars exclude products without an ingredients list as free sugars could not be estimated (n = 433). Free sugars were estimated for the remaining 16,836 products with an ingredients list. 3 Indicates the highest level of processing for each classification system and the reference category.