French authorities are considering the implementation of a simplified nutrition labelling system on food products to help consumers make healthier food choices. One of the most documented candidates (Five-Color Nutrition Label/Nutri-score) is based on the British Food Standards Agency Nutrient Profiling System (FSA-NPS), a score calculated for each food/beverage using the 100 g amount of energy, sugar, saturated fatty acid, sodium, fibers, proteins, and fruits and vegetables. To assess its potential public health relevance, studies were conducted on the association between the nutritional quality of the diet, measured at the individual level by an energy-weighted mean of all FSA-NPS scores of foods usually consumed (FSA-NPS dietary index (FSA-NPS DI)), and the risk of chronic diseases. The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between the FSA-NPS DI and breast cancer risk.
Dr. Stegall’s Comments: The evidence for nutrition’s effect on breast cancer is continuing to pile up. Aside from it being common sense that our diets can either encourage cancer development or discourage it, there is much evidence as to the specific aspects of nutrition we should be focusing on. As expected, processed foods which are high in preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and sugar are more harmful for us and encourage cancer growth and development, while unprocessed or minimally processed foods are beneficial and discourage cancer growth. Remember, as I always say, anyone who tells you that nutrition doesn’t matter with regard to cancer treatment is not informed.