Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36235595›Full record

ArticleNutrients2022

A Comparison of the Australian Dietary Guidelines to the NOVA Classification System in Classifying Foods to Predict Energy Intakes and Body Mass Index.

Amanda Grech, Anna Rangan, Margaret Allman-Farinelli, Stephen J Simpson, Tim Gill, David Raubenheimer

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nutrients, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Protein Decoys, Alcohol, and Energy Intake: Testing a Mechanistic-Ecological Model.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Review
  3. Unhealthy Food and Beverage Marketing on Public Transport Infrastructure in Western Melbourne.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Amanda GrechCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1734-9212
Anna RanganCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1815-844X
Margaret Allman-FarinelliCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6478-1374
Stephen J SimpsonCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Tim GillCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
David RaubenheimerCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
The University of Sydney · AU

Funding

National Health an Medical Research Council NA
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

NOVA classification distinguishes foods by level of processing, with evidence suggesting that a high intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs, NOVA category 4) leads to obesity. The Australian Dietary Guidelines, in contrast, discourage excess consumption of “discretionary foods” (DFs), defined according to their composition. Here, we (i) compare the classification of Australian foods under the two systems, (ii) evaluate their performance in predicting energy intakes and body mass index (BMI) in free-living Australians, and (iii) relate these outcomes to the protein leverage hypothesis of obesity. Secondary analysis of the Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey was conducted. Non-protein energy intake increased by 2.1 MJ (p < 0.001) between lowest and highest tertiles of DF intake, which was significantly higher than UPF (0.6 MJ, p < 0.001). This demonstrates that, for Australia, the DF classification better distinguishes foods associated with high energy intakes than does the NOVA system. BMI was positively associated with both DFs (−1. 0, p = 0.0001) and UPFs (−1.1, p = 0.0001) consumption, with no difference in strength of association. For both classifications, macronutrient and energy intakes conformed closely to the predictions of protein leverage. We account for the similarities and differences in performance of the two systems in an analysis of Australian foods.

Indexed as

DietEnergy IntakeAustraliaBody Mass IndexFast FoodsFood HandlingHumansNutrition PolicyObesitydietary guidelinesmacronutrient intakenon communicable diseaseobesityprotein leverage hypothesisultra-processed foods

Identifiers

PMID36235595
PMCPMC9571644
OpenAlexW4297224496

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.