Beware of foods classified as "red": the consumption of foods poorly scored in the nutri-score increases mortality.

This is the result of a large study, published Thursday in the British medical journal and conducted by French researchers from INSERM, INRAE, CNAM and Sorbonne Paris Nord.

DECRYPTION

A small logo accompanied by a letter A, B, C, D or with a color gradient, from green to red.

The nutri-score set up three years ago is now the benchmark, even if its display on food products is not mandatory.

Thursday, a French study by Inserm, Inra and CNAM and the Sorbonne Paris-Nord show an increase in mortality when we consume products classified as red ...

Study on half a million Europeans

Thanks to detailed questionnaires, these researchers studied the menus of 500,000 Europeans, in 10 countries, over 17 years.

They sifted through the nutri-score classification, so from green to red.

They then compared them to the health of consumers.

Result: the figures are formal.

Fans of foods classified as red or orange have more chronic diseases or cancers, and live shorter lives than others.

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Mortality up 7%

"People who consume food of poorer nutritional quality will have an increased mortality of about 7%", tells the microphone of Europe 1 Mélanie Deschazaux, researcher at INSERM.

"And what we mean by fear of lower rated foods is going to be foods that are going to be high in energy, high in salt, high in sugar, saturated fatty acids and rather low in fiber, fruits and vegetables or in protein. "

The study therefore scientifically confirms the effectiveness of the nutri-score, a color logo which is however only present today on 15% to 20% of food products, because it is optional.

This study could perhaps change the situation, and help to make it mandatory at the time of European harmonization in 2022.