Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) — Calorie counts in bold type and the added sugars in a product will be part of new food labels proposed to help U.S. consumers become healthier eaters.

The labels also will provide new serving sizes, such as 1 cup instead of a half-cup for ice cream, that more accurately reflect the way people eat, according to the proposed rules released today by the Food and Drug Administration. While the food industry introduced a voluntary front-of-package labeling system in 2011, the rules proposed today would be the first required changes to the labels in more than 20 years.

The government is largely playing catch-up as the nation's eating habits, food trends and advancements in obesity research have evolved since 1993, when labels bearing basic calorie counts and fat grams became standard. The changes are meant to help curtail the obesity epidemic and prevent chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

  • Critical BenefitsPRO information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.com events
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.