While requiring ‘added sugar’ to be listed on food labels draws the most attention, other changes bring value, too

While requiring food maufacturers to tell consumers how much sugar they're adding to processed food is grabbing headlines, other changes are being made that will help people make informed decisions about the foods they eat and feed their families.

“I am thrilled that the FDA has finalized a new and improved Nutrition Facts label that will be on food products nationwide,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices.”

Key updates

The new Nutrition Facts label being required by the U.S. Foood and Drug Administration will include the following.

Declaration of grams and a percent daily value for “added sugars” to help consumers know how much sugar has been added to the product. It's difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits if you consume more than 10 percent of your total daily calories from added sugars, and this is consistent with the scientific evidence supporting the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

An updated design to highlight “calories” and “servings,” two important elements in making informed food choices.

Requirements for serving sizes that reflect the amounts of food that people currently eat. What and how much people eat and drink has changed since the last serving size requirements were published in 1993. Nutrition labeling laws require that serving sizes be based on what people actually eat.

Two-column labels to indicate “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for some multi-serving food products that could be eaten in one sitting or multiple sittings. Examples include a pint of ice cream and a 3-ounce bag of chips. With two-column labels, people will be able to easily understand how many calories and nutrients they're getting if they eat or drink the package/unit at one time.

For packages that are between one and two servings, such as a 20 ounce soda, the calories and other nutrients will be required to be labeled as one serving because people usually consume it in one sitting.

Updated daily values for nutrients such as sodium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D, consistent with Institute of Medicine recommendations and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed and are used to calculate the percent daily value that manufacturers include on the label.

Declaration of Vitamin D and potassium that will include the actual gram amount, in addition to the percent daily value. These are nutrients that some people aren't getting enough of, which puts them at higher risk for chronic disease. The percent daily value for calcium and iron will continue to be required, along with the actual gram amount. Vitamins A and C will no longer be required because deficiencies of these vitamins are rare, but these nutrients can be included on a voluntary basis.

“Calories from Fat” will be removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount. “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” and “Trans Fat” will continue to be required.

A footnote to better explain the percent daily value.

While these requirements are a step in the right direction to help consumers make better informed choices about the foods they slect, consumer advocates have called for years to have the government regulate the amount of sugar, fat, and salt in food. This is an effot the Obama administration hasn't been willing to undertake.

It has launched several voluntary efforts with food manufacturers to make food more healthy, but these haven't achieved significant results in curbing obesity.

Most food manufacturers will be required to use the new label by July 26, 2018. Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to comply with the new rules. The FDA plans to conduct outreach and education efforts on the new requirements.

The current Nutrition Facts label was introduced more than 20 years ago to help consumers make informed food choices and maintain healthy dietary practices. In March 2014, the FDA proposed two rules to update the label, and in July 2015, issued a supplemental proposed rule.

The Nutrition Facts label regulations apply to packaged foods except meat, poultry, and processed egg products, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

While requiring ‘added sugar’ to be listed on food labels draws the most attention, other changes bring value, too

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