FDA Introduces Improved ‘Healthy’ Claims on Food Packages to Improve Nutrition and Reduce Chronic Disease

Today, the US Food and Drug Administration issued updated requirements for foods to be labeled with a “healthy” nutrient content label on their packaging. This Proposed regulation Aligns the definition of a “healthy” claim with current nutritional science, up-to-date. Nutrition facts label and current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

More than 80% of people in America do not eat enough vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. And many people consume too much added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. The proposed rule is part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to help consumers improve their diets and eating patterns to reduce the burden of chronic disease and increase health equity.

It comes on the heels of the proposed rule White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and HealthAlso the associated release National strategyIn the year By 2030, it aims to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, reduce nutrition-related diseases and close inequality gaps.

According to the HHS, the supply of nutritious food is the key to improving the health of our nation. Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “A healthy diet lowers our risk of chronic disease. But too many people may not know what healthy food is. FDA’s action will help educate more Americans to improve health outcomes, address health disparities, and save lives.

The proposed rule would improve the meaning of a “healthy” claim to take into account how all nutrients in different food groups contribute and work synergistically to create healthy eating patterns and improve health. Under the proposed definition for a revised “healthy” claim based on current nutrition science, food supplements that are part of a healthy diet and recommended by dietary guidelines, including nuts and seeds, would be eligible to use the claim on their labels. Seeds, fatty fish (such as salmon), certain oils and water.

FDA Commissioner Robert M. “Diet-related chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, are the leading causes of death and disability in America and disproportionately affect racial and ethnic groups,” said Califf. An important step in achieving nutrition-related priorities includes encouraging consumers to make healthy food choices with information and early establishment of healthy eating habits. It can also lead to a healthier food supply.”

Under the proposed definition, to be labeled with a “healthy” claim on food packaging, products must:

• Contains a certain amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups recommended by the Dietary Guidelines (eg fruits, vegetables, dairy products, etc.).
• Adhere to specific limits on certain nutrients, such as saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. Limit limits are based on a percentage of the Daily Value (DV) for a food and vary by food and food group. The sodium limit is 10% of the DV per serving (230 mg per serving).

For example, one serving of cereal should contain ¾ ounce of whole grains and no more than 1 gram of saturated fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2.5 grams of added sugar.

“Although a healthy diet is associated with improved health, many people’s diets do not meet current dietary recommendations,” said Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “In addition to today’s action, we will continue to advance several FDA initiatives and explore new ways to coordinate, leverage, and improve the important work being done around the nutritional ecosystem to improve people’s diets and have a significant impact on current and health.” future generations”.

Along with empowering consumers, adoption of the revised definition can help foster a healthier food supply if some producers make improvements (eg, add more vegetables or whole grains to meet the requirements) or develop products that meet the revised definition.

Because consumers have long been interested in finding ways to more easily identify healthy foods, the agency is researching and exploring the development. sign Manufacturers can use it to demonstrate that their product meets the criteria for a “healthy” claim. The agency recognizes that consumers are busy and may want a quick way to identify and choose healthy products when shopping. The improved “healthy” claim and potential symbol act as quick cues to help consumers more easily identify healthy food choices.

FDA is participating in today’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and will continue to take action in support of a national strategy to improve nutrition and health and empower all consumers to make and access healthy choices. In particular, the agency is committed to continuing to provide food in its recent release. Instruction to reduce sodium in processed, packaged and prepared foods; To provide consumers with accessible nutritional information about the foods they eat; and to provide industry with recommendations on how to use Nutrition Guide statements in food labeling. Planned future actions include:

• Develop a front-of-pack (FOP) labeling system to quickly and easily convey nutritional information to encourage consumers to make healthy decisions.
• Facilitate making nutrition information readily available when grocery shopping online.
• Facilitating the lowering of sodium content in the food supply, including by setting industry targets for improved and lower voluntary sodium reductions.
• Hold a public hearing on steps the federal government can take to reduce added sugar consumption.
• Unleash additional education and outreach efforts to ensure parents and caregivers are aware of the latest recommendations for healthy eating in young children and take steps to reduce exposure to toxins in food.

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