Guiding Stars, the world’s first store-wide nutrition navigation system, today announces minor revisions to their evidence-based proprietary algorithm. The Guiding Stars algorithm is regularly reviewed by the Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel and amended as needed, based on changes in dietary guidelines, nutrition policy and/or new scientific evidence that comes to light. Major authoritative bodies have underscored the importance of limiting the amount of added sugars in the diet. Moreover, the American Heart Association recently issued a statement recommending reductions in added sugars in which they propose specific upper limits of intake. Given this, the Scientific Advisory Panel reviewed and amended the Guiding Stars algorithm to have more conservative limits for added sugars.
The minor algorithm adjustment will affect the star ratings of less than one-tenth of one percent of all items within the database. The result is that a small number of foods will experience a decline in their overall nutrition rating. Shelf tags will reflect the revised star ratings in stores in early October.
“Throughout the three years that Guiding Stars has been in the market, the algorithm has been reviewed and adjusted as needed to ensure that we remain consistent with the most current nutrition recommendations,” said Leslie Fischer, PhD, MPH, RD, Guiding Stars’ Scientific Advisory Panel member. “Guiding Stars was designed with the public’s health in mind and these algorithm changes will help consumers choose more nutritious foods for themselves and their families.”
The Guiding Stars algorithm is grounded in the most current dietary guidelines and recommendations of leading national and international health organizations, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Health & Human Services, the National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization. The Guiding Stars system evaluates all edible products – regardless of price, brand or manufacturer – and assigns each item zero to three stars based on the nutritional value.
The Guiding Stars system is based on an extensive, proprietary database that rates and indexes over 60,000 edible products including not only packaged foods but also fresh foods, produce and prepared meals.About Guiding Stars Licensing Co.
Since 2006, Guiding Stars has been leading the way in helping consumers make nutritious choices by pioneering the first-ever storewide nutrition navigation system. The Guiding Stars program is a simple, easy-to-understand tool for making good nutritional choices and is designed to make a positive and lasting impact on public health. Guiding Stars Licensing Co., based in Scarborough, Maine, creates opportunities for supermarkets, manufacturers, food service providers and other organizations to license the program and make nutritious shopping simple throughout the United States. Guiding Stars is currently in more than 1,400 supermarkets in the East Coast including Food Lion, Hannaford, and Sweetbay stores.