Study Says NuVal(TM) Scores in Line With Hypertension-Prevention Diet, Meets Consumer Needs

BRAINTREE, Mass., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Foods recommended in the popular Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet correspond with the higher-scored items ranked by the NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System, according to a new study which has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100119/NE39897LOGO )

NuVal gives all foods a score from 1 to 100; the higher the score, the higher the food's overall nutrition. According to the study, NuVal distinguished the more healthful DASH diet from the average American diet, measured by the comprehensive National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES, 2003-2006). The DASH diet was shown to use many items with high NuVal scores, validating NuVal as a measure of overall nutrition quality.

"The promise that came with the NuVal system from the start was that people could improve their diets, and health, one well informed choice at a time," said Dr. David Katz, director and co-founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center and one of the principal inventors behind the NuVal system. "In this study, we have the data to connect those dots -- the foods in the health-promoting DASH diet add up to a higher average score than the typical American diet.  Better foods mean better diets mean better outcomes."

Another portion of the study declares that an estimated 4 out of 5 consumers can have their food-purchasing habits positively influenced by NuVal scores. In consumer testing, "roughly 80% of over 800 study participants indicated that (NuVal scores) would influence their purchase intent," as stated in the study.

"This study validates what we've believed all along -- that moms and dads want to buy nutritious foods for their families, but they aren't always sure where to find them," said NuVal President Nancy McDermott. "NuVal eliminates that confusion, offering a simple, easily understood solution. Customers can compare and find the best foods by simply comparing NuVal scores."

The consumer testing took place in 2007 and 2008 by the marketing research and technology firm Affinova and involved men and women between the ages of 18 and 64 who were the primary grocery shoppers for their households. The study's questions center around the ONQI™ algorithm, which is the engine behind the NuVal scores.

Among the paper's other findings:

• According to the survey portion of the study, NuVal's 100-point scale was preferred to systems with just four tiers by a ratio of 3-to-1.
• The paper also indicates that data from a Harvard study, to be published independently in the near future, directly link NuVal scores to health outcomes, including total risk of chronic disease and all-cause mortality.

About NuVal:

The NuVal Nutritional Scoring System is powered by the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI™), a patent-pending algorithm for measuring the nutritional quality of foods and beverages. Developed by an independent team of top nutrition and public health experts, the NuVal System scores foods and beverages based on more than 30 different nutrients and nutrition factors -- everything from fiber and vitamins to fat and sodium. Visitors to the NuVal website (www.nuval.com) can find sample scores in a variety of categories. The ONQI algorithm was created independent of financing and influence from food and beverage manufacturers.

NuVal Scores can be found in participating grocery stores, where they are posted on shelf tags next to the product price and on in-store signage.  NuVal is currently used in Price Chopper, Hy-Vee and Meijer Supermarkets, and will soon be seen in United Supermarkets. NuVal is a joint venture formed in 2008 by Topco Associates, LLC, and Griffin Hospital of Derby, Conn., a non-profit community hospital and home to the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.  

Retailers interested in learning more about the NuVal System can contact NuVal LLC at [email protected] or (781) 228-5800.

SOURCE NuVal