The US Food and Drug Administration has a last line to update the definition of the claim ‘healthy’.
According to the FDA, there is a growing crisis of preventable, diet-related chronic diseases in the U.S. that requires immediate action.
The updated “healthy” claim marks an important step in meeting the FDA’s nutritional priorities. It is part of a government approach to tackling this crisis. This rule will ensure that consumers have access to more complete, accurate, and up-to-date nutrition information on food labels.
The ‘healthy’ claim has been updated to help consumers find foods that form the basis of a healthy diet and also develop healthier foods.
According to the FDA, manufacturers can voluntarily use the “healthy” claim on a food package if a product meets the updated definition.
“It is critical to the future of our country that food is a vehicle for well-being. Improving access to nutrition information is an important public health effort the FDA can undertake to help people build healthy diets,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf. “We need to focus on the key drivers to combat chronic diseases, such as healthy eating. Now people can look for the ‘healthy’ claim to help them find basic, nutritious foods for themselves and their families.”
To qualify as “healthy” under the updated definition, food products must contain a certain amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups described in the Dietary Guidelines for American, including fruits, vegetables, protein foods, dairy and grains. .
Foods that qualify for the ‘healthy’ claim must also meet certain limits on saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. These changes will mean more foods essential to a healthy diet will qualify for the ‘healthy’ claim, making them easier for consumers to identify when shopping. These foods include nuts and seeds, higher fat fish such as salmon, olive oil and water.
The updated definition of the “healthy” claim is consistent with current nutritional science, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the scientific evidence supporting the updated Nutrition Facts label, which now requires the disclosure of added sugars. For example, the updated ‘healthy’ claim definition sets certain limits for added sugars for the first time.
Diet-related diseases, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are the leading cause of disability and disease in the US and contribute to America’s status as the country with the lowest life expectancy among major income countries. Data shows that 77 percent of people exceed current dietary recommendations for saturated fat; 79 percent have a diet low in dairy, fruit and vegetables; 63 percent exceed current dietary recommendations for added sugars; and 90 percent of people exceed the daily recommended limits for sodium.
“Food labeling can be a powerful tool for change. Food labeling, such as ‘healthy,’ can help promote a healthier food supply if manufacturers choose to reformulate their products to meet the new definition,” said Jim Jones, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Nutrition. “There’s an opportunity here for industry and others to join us in making ‘healthy’ a ubiquitous, rapid signal to help people more easily build a nutritious diet.”
The FDA welcomes the opportunity to work with all interested parties to support the use of the updated “healthy” claim. As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the agency is already working together with Instacart to make it even easier for consumers to find products with the ‘healthy’ claim through online shopping filters and a virtual shop window.
The FDA also continues to develop a “healthy” symbol that manufacturers can use to indicate that their food meets the criteria of “healthy.” The symbol would be another way of using the term ‘healthy’ to signal to consumers that a food meets the ‘healthy’ claim criteria. Symbols can be especially helpful for people less familiar with nutritional information to identify foods that can form the basis of a healthy diet.
The FDA recently issued draft guidance with new voluntary Phase II sodium reduction targets, has conducted consumer research, and plans to issue a proposed rule on front-of-pack nutrition labeling for food products to help consumers quickly and easily identify how foods can be part of food production. a healthy diet.
Together, the FDA’s work to update the “healthy” claim, develop a “healthy” symbol and front-of-pack nutrition labeling, and help reduce sodium in foods plays an important role in a government-wide approach to improve nutrition and reduce diet. -related chronic diseases in the U.S. These efforts can help consumers more easily identify foods recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and can help them reduce their consumption of certain nutrients that can be found in foods commonly considered ultra-processed . This action is also a signature that can be delivered for the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
The FDA is committed to continuing its comprehensive, science-based activities to create a healthier food supply, provide consumers with information and support lifelong healthy eating patterns.
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