New Online Course on Nutrient Profile Models

Helps Advocates Strengthen Healthy Food Policies 

How do governments decide which foods and drinks should be covered by healthy food policies? It may seem like a simple question, but the answer has enormous implications for public health. 

Around the world, processed and ultra-processed products are reshaping what people eat and contributing to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases. In response, governments are implementing healthy food policies such as front-of-package warning labels, restrictions on the marketing of ultra-processed products and other unhealthy foods and healthier standards for school meal programs. But for these policies to be effective, they need a strong scientific foundation. 

That foundation is a nutrient profile model (NPM), a tool that helps governments identify foods and drinks high in salt, sugar or unhealthy fats—or containing non-sugar sweeteners—so they can decide which products healthy food policies should cover. 

To help advocates, public health professionals, policymakers and researchers apply that science in their own countries, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) has launched a new free online course, “Nutrient Profile Models: A Tool for Healthy Food Policies.” The course allows users to go at their own pace, explains how NPMs work and offers practical examples for using them in policy advocacy. 

Why do NPMs matter? 

While food policies often receive public attention, the science behind them is less visible. In practice, nutrient profiling determines which products should not be marketed, which foods require warning labels and which products should be kept out of schools or other public settings. 

A well-designed NPM helps keep those decisions grounded in science instead of commercial interests. It sets clear criteria for identifying products that are high in sugar, salt, saturated fat or other nutrients of concern, making policies easier to apply and harder to weaken. 

NPMs provide policymakers with a scientific basis for identifying which products should be subject to healthy food policies, playing a critical role in creating healthier food environments and improving public health. 

Turning science into action 

Designed for specialists and non-specialists alike, the course makes the science behind NPMs approachable and easy to understand. Participants do not need an advanced background in nutrition science. Whether they are new to the topic or already working on food policy advocacy, the course offers tools to understand, assess and promote robust NPMs. 

Across five modules and about 2.5 hours of learning time, participants will explore: 

• Why robust NPMs are essential for effective food policy 
• The characteristics that make an NPM evidence-based and robust 
• How World Health Organization’s regional nutrient profile models compare 
• Common industry tactics used to weaken NPMs and how to counter them with evidence 
• Lessons from countries that have successfully implemented strong models 
• Practical strategies for advancing NPM advocacy in their own contexts 

Each module includes short, narrated lessons, real-world examples and knowledge checks, so participants can move through the material at their own pace and return to key sections as needed. 

Learning from real-world success 

The course also looks closely at practical experience. Participants will examine case studies from Chile, Mexico and Argentina—countries that have put strong nutrient profiling systems in place despite significant industry opposition. 

These examples show what it takes to move from scientific evidence to policy implementation, and they offer concrete lessons for advocates working to strengthen food regulations in their own countries. 

In the final module, learners can apply these learnings to their own policy context as they develop a personalized NPM Advocacy Action Plan, giving them a practical roadmap they can adapt to their own advocacy. 

Building the foundation for healthier food systems 

The global rise in diet-related diseases demands effective policy solutions. But policies are only as strong as the science that supports them. 

By helping participants understand and champion robust NPMs, this new course provides the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed to support policies that protect public health and improve nutrition for future generations. 

How to access the course:  

Create a free account on GHAI’s Health Advocacy Training and Collaboration Hub and then search for the “Nutrient Profile Models: A Tool for Healthy Food Policies” course.