Traffic light labelling could prevent mortality from noncommunicable diseases in Canada: A scenario modelling study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Traffic-light labelling (TLL) is a front-of-pack system designed to aid consumer dietary choices.
• Previous modeling indicated TLL adoption in Canada could reduce intakes of energy, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
• The potential health impact of TLL in a North American context remained undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model the potential impact of TLL adoption on mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Canada.
• To assess the health benefits associated with improved nutrient intakes predicted by TLL.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 19,915 Canadian adults (CCHS-Cycle 2.2, 2004).
• Applied UK's 2013 TLL criteria to profile food nutrient content.
• Replaced non-compliant (red-light) foods with compliant alternatives using a Canadian database.
• Calculated nutrient intakes under baseline and TLL scenarios.
• Employed the Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl (PRIME) to estimate mortality impact.

Main Results:

• An estimated 11,715 annual deaths from diet-related NCDs could be prevented in Canada by avoiding red-light foods.
• Cardiovascular diseases account for 72% of these preventable deaths.
• Reducing energy intake alone could prevent 10,490 deaths annually.

Conclusions:

• TLL, used to avoid red-light foods, shows potential as a population-wide intervention for improving NCD outcomes in Canada.
• This study highlights the significant public health benefits achievable through informed dietary choices facilitated by TLL.
• Despite modeling an optimistic scenario, the findings suggest TLL's effectiveness in enhancing population health.