FDA Proposes Update for Food Labels

(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing an update to what can be listed as “healthy.”

This proposal would change the criteria for when a food can be labeled with the nutrient content claim “healthy.”

Furthermore, the agency is determining a standardized symbol that manufacturers can place on their packaging to help consumers identify healthy options.

All consumers would have to do is look for words like “healthy,” “healthier” or “healthiest” at the grocery store to know whether they are picking an option that meets the FDA’s definition of “healthy.”

This new proposal is part of the FDA’s commitment to helping people improve eating patterns and lower the burden of chronic disease, the agency said.

More than 80 percent of Americans are not eating enough fruit, dairy and vegetables, according to the FDA. Meanwhile, most people in the US exceed the recommendations for added sugars, saturated fat and sodium (salt).

Diet-related chronic conditions are the leading causes of death and disability in the US, according to the FDA.

The current definition of “healthy” was established 28 years ago. The definition was based on the nutrition science and dietary guidelines in 1994.

However, the guidelines have changed since then. And we now know more about how certain dietary patterns affect health.

According to the FDA, eating a healthy diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, lower-fat dairy and whole grains is linked with improved health. That can mean a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancers and being overweight.

Besides empowering consumers to make healthier food selections, the FDA said it believes this new definition will encourage food manufacturers to include more fruits and vegetables, dairy and whole grains in their foods. They might also limit saturated fat, sodium and added sugars in their products in order to be able to use the updated claim.

For example, a box of cereal would need to include ¾ ounces of whole grains and not exceed 2.5 grams of added sugars to have the “healthy” claim on its box.

Based on the current guidelines, nuts and seeds will now be able to include the “healthy” claim on their packaging.

The good news? You don’t have to wait for a new definition of the “healthy” claim or a symbol to start making healthier food choices.

“You can start now,” said Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, in a press release. “To make healthier food choices for yourself and your family, aim to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lower-fat dairy, protein foods and healthy oils — like olive and canola. Try to eat and drink fewer foods and beverages high in saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars.”

The proposed changes to what will be considered “healthy” follow the current nutrition science, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, and the updated Nutrition Facts label, according to the FDA.