In a move widely seen as providing a key boost to U.S. health equity, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rolled out a proposal to revise the definition of “healthy” on food packaging when alluding to that nutrient content claim. Not only are diet-relevant illnesses like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease among the most frequent causes of death in America, but they also impact racial and ethnic minority groups at a disproportionately high rate.
The FDA’s proposal would define the “healthy” claim consistently with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the most recent Nutrition Facts label content, and current nutrition science generally.
Health literacy proponents also are applauding the development given that the vast majority of Americans fail to eat enough fruit, vegetables and dairy but, at the same time, too many individuals and families might not sufficiently understand constitutes healthy food. The more robust criterial required for securing the “healthy” label should facilitate greater health education for consumers and, importantly, help lower the incidence of health inequities triggered by poor labeling.
You can learn more about the new FDA labeling criteria here.
