Nutrient Rich Food Index categorization of foods aligns with nutrient content claim criteria

The Nutrient Rich Food Index is calculated as the sum of the Daily Values (DV) of nine nutrients to encourage (protein; fiber; vitamins A, C, and E; Ca; Mg; Fe; K) minus the sum of the DV of three nutrients to limit (saturated fat, Na, and added sugars DV=50) per 100 calories. Using USDA's Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies we calculated the NRF index for all calorie‐containing foods consumed in NHANES 1999‐2002 and developed a five point scale (1=low/5= high) after standardizing scores within and across USDA defined food groups. We then determined the number of foods that met the following US FDA labeling standards: 1) % of foods that were a) a "good source" (GS) and b) an "excellent source" (ES) of nutrients with a DV; and 2) % of foods that met the definition of "healthy" (Hy). Over 92% of category 5 foods (high NRF score) had one or more nutrients at a GS level; about 82% of category 5 foods had one or more nutrients at an ES level, and over 60% of category five foods qualify for FDA Hy. In Category 3 (mid‐point NRF scores), 87, 65, and 22% of foods met the GS, ES, and Hy criteria, respectively. A little over 60% of category 1 foods (low NRF scores) had one or more nutrients at a GS level, about 30% of category 1 foods had one or more nutrients at an ES level, and less than 7% of category 1 foods met Hy. We conclude that the NRF index categories can distinguish between foods based on several definitions of FDA labeling criteria, especially for those foods meeting the definition of healthy. Supported by the National Dairy Council.