The draft 5th edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR 2012) sets the whole diet in focus while also setting Recommended Intakes (RI) for micronutrients.

The recommendations emphasise dietary patterns and nutrient intakes that, in combination with sufficient and varied physical activity, are optimal for the development and functioning of the body, and that at the same time contribute to a reduction of risk factors for and risk of certain diet-associated diseases like cardiovascular diseases, overweight, type-2 diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis.

It is important to be aware that the NNR are primarily valid for groups of healthy individuals and are not to be used for judging the intake at individual level.

Thorough revision 

After a thorough revision, where experts have reviewed a vast amount of scientific publications, most of the recommendations from the 4th edition (2004) remain unchanged.

However, the RI for vitamin D (i.e in children above 2, adults and elderly > 75), selenium (i.e. in adults) have been increased and increasing the iodine recommendations for pregnant and lactating women is under consideration.

More emphasis is put on quality of fat and carbohydrates and their dietary sources. Specific recommendations for the total intake ranges for carbohydrates and fats are not given in NNR 2012. Instead, recommendations include ranges for monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans-fatty acids, dietary fibre and added sugars.

Diets recommended

In practice, following NNR would mean that diets with plenty of fibre-rich plant foods (e.g. dark green leafy vegetables, cabbages and onions, beans and peas, root vegetables, fruits and berries, nuts, wholegrain cereals); with frequent consumption of fish and seafood and vegetable oils, and in which low fat dairy products preferably are used and salt (NaCl) intake is limited, are associated with lower risk of most diet-related chronic diseases.

In contrast, when food products low in essential nutrients and fibre and high in energy, like sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet bakery products or confectionary, refined cereals and solid fats (e.g. butter) are frequently consumed, the risk for chronic diseases and weight-gain will increase. Also, high consumption of processed and red meats (i.e., beef, pork and lamb), may enhance the risk of adverse health and chronic disease in the population.

The new NNR - a Nordic joint venture

The work on the new edition is part of a long and fruitful Nordic co-operation hosted by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The work has been led by a Nordic working group and more than 100 scientific experts have been involved in the revision. The work has mainly focused on a revision of areas in which new scientific knowledge has emerged. A systematic review (SR) has been applied to selected nutrients/topics where new data considered being of specific importance for setting NNR were available since the last edition. A less stringent updating of reference values was applied for other nutrients/topics.

Public hearing

The revision of the NNR is a transparent process, thus a draft proposal is presented even though all the SR and updates have not yet been finalised and made available.

Public consultations and hearings will be arranged September-October 2012 once all the material is available.

The Nordic Council of Ministers will formally approve the Nordic nutrition recommendations during the fall 2012.

For more information contact the chair of the NNR5 working group:

Professor Wulf Becker, National Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden

Phone: +46 18 175731, or +46 709 245549, E-mail: wulf.becker@slv.se

Visit the NNR5 website for more details: www.nnr5.org

Members of the the NNR5 working group

Denmark

Agnes N Pedersen, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark

Inge Tetens, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark

Finland

Mikael Fogelholm, University of Helsinki

Ursula Schwab, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus

Iceland

Ingibjörg Gunnarsdottir, University of Iceland & Landspitali-University Hospital

Inga Thorsdottir, University of Iceland & Landspitali-University Hospital

Norway

Sigmund A Anderssen, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences

Helle Margrete Meltzer, Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Sweden

Elisabet Wirfält, Lund University, Department of clinical sciences in Malmö

Wulf Becker (chair), National Food Agency

Ulla-Kaisa Koivisto Hursti (scientific secretary), National Food Agency

Lene Breum Larsen
Phone +45 29 69 29 43
Email lbl@norden.org

Professor Wulf Becker
+46 18 175731, or +46 709 245549,
wulf.becker@slv.se