Leaders with the American Heart Association (AHA) have applauded the final nutrition rules from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will update nutrition information about food.
The new rules specifically apply to modifying the Nutrition Facts label, as well as the serving sizes of food.
“Clear, easy-to-understand food labels will help put Americans on the path to healthy eating,” Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA, said. “The FDA’s final nutrition rules will ensure that consumers are empowered with the guidance they need to make healthier, more informed food choices that can reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke.”
The goal of the new labels is to highlight calorie count. Approximately one out of every three children is overweight or obese, and approximately 70 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. Therefore, it is important for U.S. residents to become more aware of the number of calories they ingest each day.
“For the first time, companies will also be required to provide information on the amount of sugar that has been added to a product,” Brown said. “Listing added sugars on a separate line will help consumers determine how much sugar was added by the manufacturer versus the naturally occurring sugar found in foods. This is a significant improvement to the Nutrition Facts label. The American Heart Association, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and countless nutrition experts have long advised consumers to limit the sugar in their diet, but there was no easy way to identify the extra sugar that had been added until now.”
