Affordable nutritious foods identified using the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF) Index and CNPP Food Prices Database

Abstract

The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's Prices database includes the mean national price per 100g of food ($/100g), edible portion for 6640 foods listed in the Food and Nutrition Database for Dietary Studies 1.0. The Nutrient Rich Food (NRF) Index, a unitary metric reflecting the total nutrient content of a given food, is calculated as the sum of the Daily Values (DVs) of 9 nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, and calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium) minus the sum of the DVs of 3 nutrients to limit (saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium), all per 100 kcal. Analyses of the database showed an inverse relation between energy density (MJ/kg) and energy cost ($/MJ) and a positive relation between nutrient density and energy cost. The energy cost of refined grains, added sugars and fats was less than the cost for perishable fresh produce. Analyses of NRF value per unit cost helped to identify affordable nutritious foods both across and within major food groups. Each food group included foods and food categories that provided high nutritional value at an affordable cost. The integration of nutrient profiling with food prices databases offers new insights into the tradeoffs between food quality and food cost and a new approach to price‐ and nutrient‐related research. Supported by the National Dairy Council and NCCAM fellowship 2 T32AT000815