The nutrition labeling and education act: A public health milestone is now under attack

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Volumn 28, Issue 5, 1996, Pages 251-253

  Silverglade, Bruce ^a  

^a Center for Science in the Public Interest   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0039930402     PISSN: 14994046     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3182(96)70096-1     Document Type: Review

References (14)

1. Business Week, October 9, 1989.
2. For example, the 1995 Shopping for Health survey, sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Prevention Magazine, found that 61% of consumers said they read the nutrition label when shopping for a food for the first time, up from 52% in 1992.As many as 78% of consumers reported seeing the new label, according to FMI's "Trends '95" survey. FDA-collected data finds that consumer confidence in nutrient content and health claims is improving. Moreover, the marketplace is responding: FDA finds that market shares of products such as fat-modified cookies, cheese, and peanut butter have increased. See Levy AS, Darby BM, The impact of the NLEA on consumers: recent findings from FDA's food label and nutrition tracking system (January 23, 1996). See also Hamilton MM, Leaner snacks, fatter sales: demand grows for new products (Washington Post, April 19, 1995); Marter M, Shoppers are reading and heeding the labels (The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1995; F1).
3. For example, the 1995 Shopping for Health survey, sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Prevention Magazine, found that 61% of consumers said they read the nutrition label when shopping for a food for the first time, up from 52% in 1992.As many as 78% of consumers reported seeing the new label, according to FMI's "Trends '95" survey. FDA-collected data finds that consumer confidence in nutrient content and health claims is improving. Moreover, the marketplace is responding: FDA finds that market shares of products such as fat-modified cookies, cheese, and peanut butter have increased. See Levy AS, Darby BM, The impact of the NLEA on consumers: recent findings from FDA's food label and nutrition tracking system (January 23, 1996). See also Hamilton MM, Leaner snacks, fatter sales: demand grows for new products (Washington Post, April 19, 1995); Marter M, Shoppers are reading and heeding the labels (The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1995; F1).
4. For example, the 1995 Shopping for Health survey, sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Prevention Magazine, found that 61% of consumers said they read the nutrition label when shopping for a food for the first time, up from 52% in 1992.As many as 78% of consumers reported seeing the new label, according to FMI's "Trends '95" survey. FDA-collected data finds that consumer confidence in nutrient content and health claims is improving. Moreover, the marketplace is responding: FDA finds that market shares of products such as fat-modified cookies, cheese, and peanut butter have increased. See Levy AS, Darby BM, The impact of the NLEA on consumers: recent findings from FDA's food label and nutrition tracking system (January 23, 1996). See also Hamilton MM, Leaner snacks, fatter sales: demand grows for new products (Washington Post, April 19, 1995); Marter M, Shoppers are reading and heeding the labels (The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1995; F1).
5. Prevention/FMI survey shows more consumers are buying low-fat foods. Food Labeling & Nutrition News, May 9, 1996; 14-5.
6. H.R. 3200,The Food Amendments and Animal Drug Availability Act, 104th Congress 2nd Session (1996); S. 1477,The FDA Performance and Accountability Act, 104th Congress 2nd Session (1996).
7. Cong. Rec. at S16610 (daily ed. October 24, 1990).
8. The statute mandated that the Secretary initially define only six terms: free, low, light or lite, reduced, less, and high. See Section 3(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the NLEA.
9. According to New Product News, more than 1500 new products that meet FDA's requirements for "low fat" and "reduced fat" claims were introduced in 1994, more than any previous year. Based on data for the first three quarters of 1995, the total number of new fat-modified products introduced during the past year should be significantly greater than 1500. See Friedman M, Products bearing health claims. New Product News.April 1995:8.
10. 60 Fed. Reg. 66,206 (1995).
11. Preliminary data from FDA's 1995 Food Labeling and Packaging Survey (FLAPS) indicates that 24 of 1030 products surveyed included a health claim stating the relationship between a component of the product and a disease.While these findings are based on non-sales-weighted raw data, they indicate that a typical supermarket stocked with 15,000 food items may contain as many as 345 food items that bear health claims. In addition, dozens of products participating in the American Heart Association labeling program also carry the FDA-approved health claim that links diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber-rich grains, fruits, and vegetables to a reduced risk of heart disease.
12. 61 Fed. Reg. 308 (1996).
13. Van Horn L, et al. Serum lipid response to oat product intake with a fat-modified diet. J Am Diet Assoc 1986; 86:759-64.
14. Comments should be addressed to the Dockets Management Branch, Food and Drug Administration, Room 1-23, 12420 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20857 and refer to docket numbers 94P-0390, 94P- 0241, and 95P-0197. Letters to members of Congress regarding H.R. 3200 and S. 1477 can be addressed to the specific representative or Senator at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510.