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NOTICE PAPER NO. 1808
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 21 MARCH 2023
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Yip Hon Weng
MP for Yio Chu Kang SMC
Question No. 2845
To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether nutritionists were consulted in the calibration of the current Nutri-Grade system; (b) whether the Ministry will consider expanding the current Nutri-Grade system beyond sugar and fat content to provide a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of the nutritional value of drinks for the different age groups; and (c) how does the Ministry plan to educate the public on the limitations of the current Nutri-Grade system.
Answer
1 MOH had consulted local experts from different disciplines including nutrition, food science, behavioural science and public health epidemiology, to ensure that the Nutri-Grade grading system is scientifically robust and designed to spur industry reformulation and nudge consumer behavioural change. The Nutri-Grade grading system focuses on sugar and saturated fat, as they are the current key nutrients of concern in beverages.
2 The Health Promotion Board (HPB) rolled out a public education campaign in December 2022 to increase awareness of the Nutri-Grade mark, including advisories that beverages graded C or D may still be recommended for individuals with specific dietary needs, such as full cream milk for children aged 1 to 2 years old, and 100% juice for seniors with difficulty in chewing whole fruit.
3 MOH and HPB will continue to monitor the implementation of the Nutri-Grade grading system and the impact to the public, and review it as appropriate.