The Access to Nutrition Initiative has analyzed around 11,000 products from leading food companies including Kellogg, General Mills, Unilever, Kraft Heinz, and Nestle. They found that about 70% of the foods they produce do not meet the threshold of being healthy.
The products reviewed had levels of salt, sugar, and fat that were too high while being deficient in fiber, whole grains, and nutrients. The products were rated and scored low based on the Health Star Rating, a system developed by the Australian and New Zealand governments that grades packaged foods and beverages on their nutritional content.
It has also been determined by research from the T.H. Chan School of Public Health that less than 28% of Americans eat the recommended amounts of food in the U.S. dietary guidelines, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes continue to increase while Americans continue to eat manufactured foods from large companies that are making very little progress in improving the quality of the food they sell. The most nutrient-dense foods are whole, plant-based foods that have been grown, not manufactured.
