Carlos Augusto Monteiro, the epidemiologist who created the concept of "ultra-processed" foods, has questioned an initiative by the Novo Nordisk Foundation to disregard the current nutritional classification he developed and propose a new one, which includes ultra-processed cereals.
SÃO PAULO, SP, BRASIL, 11-04-2019: Portrait of physician and professor at the USP School of Public Health, Carlos Augusto Monteiro (Foto: Bruno Santos/ Folhapress) - Bruno Santos/Folhapress
According to Monteiro, the move seeks to incorporate items currently considered unhealthy. In a letter dated February 26, Monteiro suggests that the organization funds projects that benefit the food industry. Novo Nordisk owns Novo Holdings, the majority shareholder of Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company that develops and sells the weight-loss drug Ozempic.
In a statement, the foundation said it "supports studies that can improve human health and societal sustainability." "This includes research that challenges existing paradigms."
The Nova classification, developed by Monteiro and Brazilian researchers, categorizes foods into four groups. Ultra-processed foods, the least nutritious and linked to diseases, make up the fourth group in the table. Simply put, ultra-processed foods are those that cannot be made at home: chips, soft drinks, nuggets, and industrially flavored yogurts.
In a 2022 article, Novo Nordisk stated that the classification "adds little" and is "counterproductive in addressing the global food production problem." It also argued that the classification might "demonize healthy foods, such as some types of cereals that cannot be made at home but are rich in whole grains and fiber."
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