Author: Robert M. Califf, FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs
Last month was the one-year anniversary of the White House Conference and the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The FDA continues to make great strides in addressing nutrition to help combat the spread of diet-related diseases. This conference and its corresponding national strategy brought a much-needed new focus to the role of diet and nutrition in our health.
Today I would like to share with you an important new development in this work.
Front and Center is our work developing front-of-pack labeling systems to quickly communicate and provide context for specific nutritional information. This could be one of the most significant changes to food labels since Nutrition Facts.
Front-of-pack labels can help consumers, especially those who are less knowledgeable about nutritional information, identify foods that can help build healthy eating patterns. And in general, multiple studies published in scientific journals literature We have demonstrated that consumers prefer simple labels.
The FDA currently consumer survey To understand reactions to various elements of front-of-pack labeling systems. The agency will use the results of this study to inform next steps, including consideration of the approach it should take as part of the proposed rule, which is scheduled for public comment.
Given the potential importance of front-of-pack labeling, there has been significant interest from a variety of stakeholders, including consumer groups, public health agencies, academia, medical communities, and industry.
That’s why we’re excited to share with you an event hosted by the FDA Reagan Udall Foundation on November 16th. public meeting
External link disclaimer You can hear directly from stakeholders. For more information about the session, Foundation website
External link disclaimer If you are interested, please register to participate.
In addition to our work on front-of-pack labeling, FDA has accomplished much to support our nutrition priorities since I took office. last update. The National Strategy highlights many of the following initiatives:
- publish proposed rule Update the definition of “healthy” on nutritional information labels.
- is updating food code Include recommendations for food donations.
- issuance of draft guidance About the dietary guidance statement.
- publish proposed rule Allowing the use of salt substitutes in standardized foods.
- is publishing request information About food labels on online grocery platforms.
- We will be holding a virtual public meeting and listening session from November 6th to 8th on strategies to reduce added sugar consumption in the United States.
The Agency remains committed to doing everything we can to contribute to improving public health through improving nutrition, making healthy food choices, and making it easier to build healthy habits. . Continuing findings that Americans’ life expectancy is decreasing is rooted in important habits that form the foundation of good nutrition. We are committed to doing our part to reverse these trends.
See you next time.
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