The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the definition of what counts as “healthy” in a bid to help consumers make healthier choices.
For a food product to qualify as “healthy” under the new definition, it must contain certain amounts of at least one of the food groups included in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
This includes dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods such as beans, lean meats, nuts, seafood and soya.
To be labelled as healthy, products must also fall below certain limits on added sugars, sodium and saturated fat.
Food companies could voluntarily use a “healthy” claim on their packages if their products met the new definition, the FDA said.
As a result of these changes, the FDA said more foods that are key to healthy eating patterns - such as nuts and seeds, higher fat fish such as salmon, olive oil and water - would qualify for the “healthy” claim.
“This rule will help ensure that consumers have access to more complete, accurate and up-to-date nutrition information on food labels,” the FDA said on its website on 19 December.
“It is vital that we focus on the key drivers to combat chronic disease, like healthy eating. Now, people will be able to look for the ‘healthy’ claim to help them find foundational, nutritious foods,” FDA commissioner Robert M Califf said.
The updated definition for the “healthy” claim is in line with current nutrition science, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the scientific evidence supporting the updated Nutrition Facts label, which now requires the declaration of added sugars.
“Food labelling can be a powerful tool for change. Food labelling, like ‘healthy,’ may help foster a healthier food supply if manufacturers choose to reformulate their products to meet the new definition,” FDA deputy commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones said.
Diet-related diseases, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are the leading cause of disability and disease in the USA and contribute to America’s status as having the lowest life expectancy among large, high-income countries.
Data showed that 77% of people exceeded the current dietary recommendations for saturated fat; 79% of people had dietary patterns low in dairy, fruits, and vegetables; 63% of people exceeded current dietary recommendations for added sugars; and 90% of people exceeded the daily recommended limits for sodium, the FDA said.
The agency said it was also developing a “healthy” symbol that manufacturers could use to indicate their food met the “healthy” definition.
