Objective: This study aimed to apply the newly developed Chile Adjusted Model (CAM) nutrient profiling model (NPM) to the food supply in South Africa (SA) and compare its performance against existing NPMs as an indication of suitability for use to underpin food policies targeted at discouraging consumption of products high in nutrients associated with poor health.
Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the SA packaged food supply comparing the CAM to three other NPMs: SA health and nutrition claims (SA HNC), Chilean warning octagon (CWO) 2019, and Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) NPM.
Setting: The SA packaged food supply based on products stocked by supermarkets in Cape Town, SA.
Participants: Packaged foods and beverages (N=6474) available in 2018 were analyzed.
Results: 49% of products contained excessive amounts of nutrients of concern (considered non-compliant) according to the criteria of all four models. Only 10.9% of products were not excessive in any nutrients of concern (considered compliant) according to all NPMs evaluated. The CAM had an overall non-compliance level of 73.2%, and was comparable to the CWO 2019 for foods (71.2% and 71.1% respectively). The CAM was the strictest NPM for beverages (80.4%) due to the criteria of non-sugar sweeteners and free sugars. The SA HNC was the most lenient with non-compliance at 52.9%. This was largely due to the inclusion of nutrients to encourage, which is a criterion for this NPM.
Conclusion: For the purpose of discouraging products high in nutrients associated with poor health in SA, the CAM is a suitable NPM.
Keywords: Nutrient profiling; South Africa; food policy; nutrients of concern; obesity.