Health advocates back Philippine nutrient profile model

The final approval of the Philippine Nutrient Profile Model lays the groundwork for stronger food policies that can protect Filipinos, especially poor families, from noncommunicable diseases, the Healthy Philippines Alliance said.

The HPA, a patient-led civil society network convened by HealthJustice, said the PNPM can help guide regulations on packaged processed and ultra-processed foods that exceed health-based limits for sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and other nutrients linked to obesity and diet-related diseases.

The National Nutrition Council Governing Board, chaired by the Department of Health, approved the PNPM with finality after multiple reviews and public consultations with stakeholders from civil society, medical groups, and the food industry.

“Sadly, many Filipino families, especially poor and vulnerable households, are forced to consume unhealthy packaged foods because they are cheap and convenient. But no Filipino family or child deserves to die or suffer from the physical and financial burden of preventable NCDs like heart disease, diabetes or cancer,” said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, former Health Secretary and lead convener of the HPA.

“We see the PNPM, as a critical consumer protection measure that puts the people’s health first. Through this tool, our policy makers are guided in improving our food environment where nutritious options become the choice for every Filipino family to avoid obesity and other NCDs. Every Filipino deserves access to food that supports rather than harms their health.” Galvez Tan added.

The group reminded government implementing agencies to remain transparent, eliminate conflicts of interest, and reject interference from the food industry when applying the PNPM to guide regulatory policies such as mandatory front-of-pack food warning labels and marketing restrictions.

Galvez Tan said concerns from the food industry about the PNPM’s possible economic effects are premature because the model has not yet been applied to a specific policy.

“The PNPM has no policy application yet, so it is premature for the food industry to claim that it will negatively impact the poor, businesses, and the livelihood of farmers or fisherfolk. But drawing from the experience of other countries that used their nutrient profile model to implement policies like front-of-pack labeling, there has been no ill effect whatsoever on food costs, food supply, business operations, or the agricultural sector,” Galvez Tan argued.

The policy push comes as the World Health Organization has urged stronger food policies in the Philippines, including regulations on unhealthy food marketing, improved labeling standards, healthy public food procurement, and the elimination of industrially produced trans fats to address obesity and prevent NCDs. (World Health Organization⁠)

The WHO has also said the Philippine Nutrient Profile Model will serve as a technical reference for front-of-pack labeling and other healthy food environment policies. (World Health Organization⁠)

Diabetes Philippines, an HPA member, said rigorous nutrition standards and strong food policies are needed to guide consumers toward healthier food choices and encourage a return to traditional dietary patterns centered on nutritious, minimally processed foods.

“Traditional Filipino diets once helped protect people from chronic diseases. Today, however, the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods has contributed to an alarming rise in metabolic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, even among younger Filipinos. The Philippine Nutrient Profile Model (PNPM), together with strong food policies, can serve as an important tool in guiding consumers toward healthier food choices and away from products high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. Ultimately, our goal is to encourage Filipino families to return to dietary patterns centered on a variety of nutritious, whole foods, as reflected in the Pinggang Pinoy model,” said Jennina Duatin, Nutritionist-Dietitian and Board of Trustee of Diabetes Philippines.

“We anticipate that these interventions will not only encourage healthier food choices among Filipinos but also increase demand for fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, and other fresh produce from our farmers and fisherfolk. We also hope they will drive the reformulation of packaged foods, leading to a healthier food supply and better options that are lower in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats,” Duatin continued.

The PNPM sets thresholds based on World Health Organization recommendations for sugar, sodium, and saturated fats to help prevent obesity and NCDs.

It creates a mechanism to classify which pre-packaged processed and ultra-processed food products exceed the limits and may need regulation and reformulation.

National Nutrition Council Officer-in-Charge Executive Director IV Atty. Rosalina U. Bascao said the model can support public health regulation and consumer protection.

“We are pleased to champion a policy framework designed to foster healthier consumer choices and contribute to curbing the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases. We look forward to supporting legislative proposals that harness this tool to strengthen public health regulations,” Bascao said.

The PNPM divides products into categories such as pastries, cereals, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other food groups based on the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory and product registration system using the CODEX General Standards for Food Additives.

The model exempts infant and follow-on formula milk, complementary food for children 6–35 months old, food for special medical purpose, and culinary single ingredient products.

Per category, the thresholds set are as follows:

▪      TOTAL FAT – less than 30% of energy or calories per serving

▪     SATURATED FAT – less than 10% of energy

▪     TOTAL SUGAR – less than 10% of energy

▪    ADDED SUGAR – 0 grams

▪    NON-SUGAR SWEETENERS – 0 grams

▪    SODIUM – 1 mg / 1 kcal

 

The NNC, UNICEF, WHO, and partner groups have also urged Congress to pass a Healthy Food Environment measure that would use a government nutrient profile model to support restrictions on marketing and clearer front-of-pack nutrition labeling for products high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.