Putting the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index into Practice

With approximately 2 out of 3 Americans currently overweight or obese, many continue to come up short on recommendations for certain nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber in their diet. Numerous attempts have been made to provide consumers with nutrient-profiling tools, such as manufacturer-specific symbols, to improve dietary selections, but many of the tools have focused on assisting consumers in making single food selections and do not provide guidance about planning total diets. In response to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's recommendation for research to define nutrient density, the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (NRFC) embarked on the development of a scientifically valid definition of nutrient density and consumer-driven educational tools to communicate the concept of nutrient-rich foods (NRF) to consumers. The science-based, consumer-driven NRF approach to eating may help Americans make multiple small changes in their diet that ultimately lead to better diet quality and significant improvements in public health.