Excess sugar consumption can lead to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes. Increasingly, ultra-processed foods (UPF) are suspected to be great contributors to free sugars intake in the population’s diet. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between UPF consumption and free sugars intake in the Canadian population. We used data from one 24 h-recall of the nationally representative 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition (CCHS). Food items were classified according to the NOVA system, and to estimate free sugars intake, we used the University of Toronto’s Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017 database. Results: Almost half of the population’s energy intake (45.7%) came from UPF. On average, 221.5 kcal/day came from free sugars, and most of these calories (71.5%) came from UPF. Public health policies aiming to decrease consumption of UPF should be a priority considering their important contribution to sugar intake in the population.

High consumption of ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPF) has been linked to poor diet quality and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases. To inform public policies and interventions aimed at reducing UPF intake in Canada, updated information on UPF intake among different sociodemographic groups is needed. This study, using data from 5872 adults aged 18 years and older from the International Food Policy Study (2018–2019), aims to estimate the dietary energy contribution of UPF and assess its variation among sociodemographic subgroups. All foods and drinks reported in a single 24 h dietary recall were classified using the Nova system. We estimated the mean proportion of total daily energy from UPF and subcategories of UPF in the overall sample and among sociodemographic subgroups. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated the association between sociodemographic characteristics with the proportion of total daily energy from UPF. On average, adults consumed 45.2% of their total daily energy from UPF. UPF consumption was slightly higher among males than females (49.4% vs. 47.6%, p = 0.039) and younger adults aged 19–30 years compared with older adults aged 51–64 years (50.0% vs. 47.2%, p = 0.029), adjusting for a range of sociodemographic factors. Overall, UPF consumption was relatively high among adults in all sociodemographic subgroups, highlighting the need for policies to decrease UPF consumption in the entire population.

Background: In recent years, interactions between nutrition professionals (NPs) and the food industry, such as sponsorship arrangements, have raised concerns, particularly as these may negatively impact the trustworthiness and credibility of the nutrition profession. This study aimed to map the literature and identify knowledge gaps regarding interactions between NPs and industry. We sought to examine the nature of such interactions and NPs perspectives about these, as well as the risks and solutions. Methods: We conducted a scoping review according to a pre-registered protocol, searching eight electronic databases and grey literature sources in March 2021 to identify documents for inclusion. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion and conducted data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative syntheses were conducted. Results: We identified 115 documents for analysis, published between 1980 to 2021, with a majority from the United States (n=59, 51%). Only 32% (n=37) were empirical studies. The food industry was the most frequent industry type discussed (n=91, 79%). We identified 32 types of interactions between NPs and industry, such as continuing education provided by industry and sponsorship of professional bodies and health and nutrition organizations. The financial survival of nutrition organizations and continuing education access for NPs were the most frequently cited advantages of industry-NPs interactions. On the other hand, undermining public trust, NPs credibility and public health nutrition recommendations were pointed out as risks of these interactions. Following a code of ethics, policies, or guidelines was the most frequently proposed solution for managing these interactions. Conclusion: Despite the increasing attention given to this issue, few empirical papers have been published to date. There is a need for more research to better and systematically document industry interactions with NPs and the impacts associated with these, as well as more research on effective management strategies. Registry Name and Number: Interactions between nutrition professionals and industry actors: A scoping review protocol. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/Q6PUA

Objective: To gain insight into the experiences and perspectives of registered dietitians (RD) in Canada regarding their interactions with commercial actors and actions undertaken to manage these interactions. Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews combined with a document analysis. Setting: Quebec, Canada Participants: RD aged ≥ 18 years (n 18) Results: All participants reported interacting with commercial actors during their careers, such as receiving continuing education provided or sponsored by food companies. RD in Quebec perceive these interactions as either trivial or acceptable, depending on the commercial actor or interaction type. Participants discussed how certain interactions could represent a threat to the credibility and public trust in dietitians, among other risks. They also discussed the benefits of these interactions, such as the possibility for professionals to improve the food supply and public health by sharing their knowledge and expertise. Participants reported ten mechanisms used to manage interactions with commercial actors, such as following a code of ethics (individual level) and policies such as partnerships policy (institutional level). Finally, RD also stressed the need for training and more explicit and specific tools for managing interactions with commercial actors. Conclusions: RD in Quebec, Canada, may engage with commercial actors in their profession and hold nuanced perspectives on this matter. While some measures are in place to regulate these interactions, they are neither standardised nor evaluated for their effectiveness. To maintain the public’s trust in RD, promoting awareness and developing training on this issue is essential.

This study evaluates the immediate effect of an educational intervention implemented among key policy actors in Ghana. The intervention focused on creating awareness and increasing competencies for countering food industry public food policy dilution strategies. The intervention was evaluated using a before-and-after design, collecting self-reported awareness, appropriateness, competencies, and skill level rating, and using frequencies, percentages, and non-parametric testing (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, with alpha set at 0.05) to report results. Thirty policy actors attended the workshop, but 23 and 17 participated in the evaluation (pre- and post-workshop, respectively). Most (82%) were health experts, with about 48% reporting two decades or more of professional experience. Before the intervention, policy actors reported receiving job offers, promotional material, and sponsored travel from the food industry. After the workshop, policy actors’ overall mean appropriateness level rating of such strategies decreased (from 2.60 ± 0.87 to 1.95 ± 0.81; P = 0.013). Policy actors’ overall awareness level rating of food industry using such strategies to influence public food policies increased after the workshop (from 4.27 ± 0.55 to 4.38 ± 0.59; P = 0.657). Similarly, their overall mean competencies and skill level rating for recognizing and countering public food policy dilution strategies increased (from 2.70 ± 0.54 to 3.13 ± 0.41; P = 0.012). The findings show the potential of an educational workshop serving as a preemptive intervention to protect public food policies from industry influence, and for such interventions to be incorporated into national food policy development processes.

Objective: The Canadian Ultra-Processed Product Screener (CUPS) was developed to rapidly assess ultra-processed food (UPF) and drink product intake among Canadian adults. The CUPS is an online self-administered screener that includes twenty-eight questions and assesses the intake of a variety of UPF available in Canada, both in French and English. This study aimed to assess the construct validity and reliability of the CUPS among a sample of adults in Canada. Design: Cross-sectional study (between July and November 2023). Settings: Participants completed the online CUPS screener in three versions (1-d (twice), 7-d and 30-d CUPS) and three 24-h dietary recalls (24HR) (the reference measure) over the course of 26–28 d. Participants: 354 Canadians aged 18–60 years Results: The CUPS had an acceptable construct validity, with moderate correlation coefficients between the CUPS score and UPF consumption level measured using multiple 24HR (from 0·33 to 0·44). Reproducibility was also acceptable (intraclass correlation = 0·61) and internal consistency ranged from good to excellent (Cronbach’s α = 0·72 for the 1-d and 0·86 for the 30-d CUPS). CUPS scores were also associated with higher intake of added sugars, saturated fats and Na. Conclusions: This study provides evidence supporting the construct validity and reliability of the CUPS among Canadian adults. The CUPS is useful for identifying low and high consumers of UPF and could serve as a proxy measure for one key dimension of diet quality, which is the type of food processing.