Diet wellness in the US may soon take a huge leap forward, as the US Food and Drug Administration have announced new plans for food labels. According to nutrition and wellbeing expert Margaret Farley Steele, the FDA have formally proposed ‘updating the “nutrition facts” labels on food products to better reflect Americans’ current eating habits and health concerns. Among the highlights: the new labels would replace out-of-date serving sizes, highlight calorie content and draw attention to “added sugars.”’
The proposed label makeover has been given the nod from First Lady Michelle Obama, who, in an FDA news release, commented, ‘Our guiding principle here is very simple: that you as a parent and a consumer should be able to walk into your local grocery store, pick up an item off the shelf, and be able to tell whether it’s good for your family. So this is a big deal, and it’s going to make a big difference for families all across this country.’ Farley Steele explains, ‘Nutrition labelling was introduced two decades ago, and the FDA says the science and recommendations behind food labelling has changed since then. The proposed revisions take into account current knowledge of the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.’
In the news release, Michael Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, noted, ‘By revamping the Nutrition Facts label, FDA wants to make it easier than ever for consumers to make better informed food choices that will support a healthy diet.’ Registered dietician Dr. Glenna McCollum, president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, enthused, ‘Today is a big win for consumers. The changes announced today are long overdue. There has been so much new research about consumers’ use of food labels, chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and how specific nutrients affect our health. Meanwhile, the Nutrition Facts panel is more than 20 years old and does not reflect the current food environment or recent scientific research. Consumers want information they can use to make healthful choices.’
So what are some of the highlights of the proposal?
1. Calories and Servings: ‘Calorie content and serving sizes would be featured more prominently to help address obesity,’ Farley Steele details. ‘Also, foods that can be consumed in one sitting would feature calorie and nutrition information for the whole package.’ Chris Ochner, an assistant professor of paediatrics at Mount SinaiHospital in New York City, said that this change in particular is sorely needed: ‘Bar none, the number of calories is the most important thing an individual can pay attention to when it comes to their diet.’
2. Added Sugars: Farley Steele outlines, ‘Labels would need to show the amount of “added sugars” in a food product to help people distinguish between the natural sugars found in fruit and milk, for instance, and sugars added arbitrarily. Americans consume too much sugar and need to reduce their intake, according to 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.’
3. Helpful Nutrients: ‘Potassium and vitamin D — nutrients that help ward off high blood pressure and bone loss, respectively — would be listed on labels,’ says Farley Steele. ‘Food makers could also include vitamins A and C, but they will no longer have to.’
4. Daily Needs: Farley Steele reveals, ‘“Daily values” for various nutrients such as salt, dietary fibre and vitamin D would be revised. These values are used to calculate the “Percent Daily Value” on the label, which helps consumers understand the nutrition information in the context of a total daily diet.’
5. Fats: Farley Steele states, ‘“Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat” and “Trans Fat” would remain on labels, but not “Calories from Fat.” It’s now known the type of fat is more important than the amount.’