FDA confronts obesity problem food labels to be revised

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 13 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PST

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In its anti-obesity campaign, the FDA will order a revision of food package labeling so that consumers can work out more easily how many calories a product has.

Food companies will have to explain clearly how many servings a package has. When terms such as 'low' or 'reduced' calories are used, food companies will have to explain clearly exactly what this means on the label.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said 'Far too many Americans are literally eating themselves to death...the epidemic of obesity threatens the health of millions of Americans.'

Over the last couple of weeks the authorities have been voicing their concern over the rising obesity problem that the US has. With obesity overtaking tobacco as the country's number one preventable killer, the Department of Health and Human Services has launched a public education campaign.

On the other hand, Congress also voted to protect fast food restaurants when they voted in a bill that stopped obese consumers from suing junk food restaurants for their obesity.

FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester M. Crawford said 'Obesity is one of America's greatest health challenges today...more Americans are overweight or obese than ever before, and this has significant implications for our health.'

Many people, including politicians, say that the authorities are depending too much on voluntary action by the junk food restaurants and food companies. Many say the authorities are just rearranging the chairs. They call this self-policing approach as naive.

The food companies have welcomed the moves.

Companies have started to adapt. McDonald's is getting rid of its Supersize portions. Doughnut companies are introducing reduced-calorie doughnuts.

Thompson said 'I believe voluntary compliance in this case is much better. If this doesn't work, then we're going to have to come back and take a harder look at it and find more kinds of actions that are going to be more oppressive.'

The FDA says it will require that labels print the number of calories in foods more prominently. It should include what % of your daily recommended calorie intake that package contains.

Thompson said that many consumers find counting calories stressful and confusing.

The FDA might allow claims to be made on labels. Low calorie products might be allowed to say that reducing obesity reduces your chances of developing diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The FDA will also start defining what foods can be labeled as low, reduced or free of carbs (carbohydrates). More and more Americans are keeping an eye on the amount of carbohydrates they consume.

The FDA plans to encourage restaurants tell you how many calories your meal has.

However, most of this is encouraging rather than making food companies do these things

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