In an effort to promote better health, the Biden administration wants to put nutrition labels on the front of food packages.
The statement is made in advance of the first conference of its kind since one held under the Nixon administration, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
To make nutrition information easier for consumers to grasp, the Food and Drug Administration will investigate and recommend a standard front-of-package labeling system, the White House announced on Tuesday.
The Biden administration is attempting to assist consumers in making healthy decisions and “to shift our health care system away from just treating disease to preventing it,” a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call about the proposed change to the current system, which primarily provides nutritional information on the backs of labels.
The White House stated in a 44-page strategy report that the goal of the front-of-package labeling, which could take the form of star ratings or traffic light images, is “to help consumers, particularly those with lower nutrition literacy, quickly and easily identify foods that are part of a healthy eating pattern.”
The administration also declared that it would alter the nutritional standards used to determine whether food packaging can make the “healthy” label.
The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, the first of its kind since a conference on the topic during the Nixon era more than 50 years ago, will be held on Wednesday. Administration officials are getting ready to host it.
To minimize the number of Americans suffering from diet-related disorders like heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes, Biden announced a goal in May to end hunger and promote healthy eating and physical activity by 2030.
Democrats in Congress have placed a lot of emphasis on food labeling. In a letter to Susan Rice, director of the Domestic Policy Council, last month, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey called for more clarity on food labeling. Five Senate Democrats suggested legislation that would have required front-of-package labeling in a letter dated August 31.
The letter mentioned legislation that five Senate Democrats put out last year that would mandate front-of-package labeling with warnings about the content of salt, sugar, and saturated fats and mandate that online food sellers disclose nutrition information on food packages.
According to top administration officials who spoke to the media, the Biden administration is also making efforts to increase food access and affordability.
The Agriculture Department reports that the SNAP federal nutrition assistance program will provide extra benefits beginning on Saturday, amounting to an average of $26 per person per month. Early in August, the overall rise was declared.
An executive summary of the administration’s objectives states that the White House also hopes to increase the number of kids who have access to healthy, free school meals by 9 million by 2032, increase SNAP eligibility, and give more children access to summer assistance.
