Dietetic Nutrition

Dietetic nutrition refers to foods specifically formulated for weight loss and weight control that support individuals in achieving their body weight objectives. They are developed to ensure adequate intakes, both in terms of quantity and quality, as well as in terms of their macro and micronutrient profiles. Moreover, they are easy-to-use, available in different flavours and formats making them a convenient and nutritional component to adhere to the dietary management plan and to maximise the chance of achieving dietary goals.

These products are Food for Special Dietary Use (FSDU). They are carefully formulated as either low calorie diet (LCD) products or very low calorie diet (VLCD) products. The VLCD category falls under the Food for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) category, and medical supervision is mandatory.

Foods specifically formulated for weight loss and weight control can either replace: (i) the entirety of the diet (total diet replacement), which is the case for VLCD products or (ii) a meal (meal replacement for weight control), or (iii) part of a meal (partial meal replacement), which is often the case for LCD products.

Within Codex Alimentarius these products are covered by specific Standards, in addition to other relevant Codex texts:

– STANDARD FOR FORMULA FOODS FOR USE IN WEIGHT CONTROL DIETS (CODEX STAN 181-1991)

– STANDARD FOR FORMULA FOODS FOR USE IN VERY LOW ENERGY DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION (CODEX STAN 203-1995)