Categorisation of non-core foods and drinks consumed by a clinical sample in an intervention trial

Non-core foods are discouraged in favour of core foods in

dietary guidelines. Australian data indicates that

consumption of non-core foods and drinks, or ‘extra’

foods, exceeds 20% of energy, the recommended limit for

the healthy population. While energy-dense, nutrient poor

choices are associated with excessive energy intake and

weight, we found that trial participants who reported

consuming greater amounts of non-core foods and drinks

at baseline, lost more weight at 3 months than those

consuming foods closer to guideline recommended foods.

However, more detail about the types of non-core foods is

required to give effective dietary advice.