New system helps shoppers choose healthy foods

Photograph of Leslie Fischer, PhD, MPH, RD

Leslie Fischer, PhD, MPH, RD, research assistant professor in the School’s Department of Nutrition, was part of the scientific advisory panel that developed the system, called Guiding Stars, to make it easier for shoppers to identify the most nutritious foods in the store.

Guiding Stars has analyzed more than 27,000 food items in Hannaford stores and rated them on a four-point scale for nutritional value. One star (*) indicates good nutritional value; two stars, better; and three stars, best nutritional value.

Dr. Fischer worked with Lisa Sutherland, PhD, formerly a research assistant professor in the UNC Department of Nutrition and now research associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Dartmouth University Medical School, to develop the algorithm underlying the rating system. They collaborated with an advisory panel that included experts from Tufts University, the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, Harvard University and the University of California – Davis to test the program and help Hannaford put it in place.

Dr. Fischer is excited about the program’s potential to add value to the customers’ shopping experience and help them identify foods that support a healthy lifestyle. Vendors were receptive to the rating system, she said, and she hopes that manufacturers will be encouraged to reformulate products in order to increase their nutritional value.

“There are many nutritious food choices – frozen vegetables and whole grain, unsweetened cereals, for instance – that are reasonably priced,” she said. “It’s up to us as consumers to make choices that give us the most nutrition for our food dollar, and Guiding Stars is an excellent tool to help consumers make informed food choices that work best for them and their families.”

In developing the program, Hannaford responded to the survey responses of more than 3,000 customers, many of whom said they wanted to eat healthier but were confused by the amount and complexity of nutrition information.

For more information contact Ramona DuBose, director of communications for the UNC School of Public Health, by telephone at 919-966-7467 or by email at ramona_dubose@unc.edu.