New Food Label Report

A recent report from the Institute of Medicine urges the government to mandate a new food-labeling system. Similar to Energy Star ratings, which identify energy-efficient appliances, the new labeling system would graphically depict calorie counts by serving size and use a point system to identify the amounts of saturated and trans fats, sodium, and sugars. The report says, “It is time for a move away from front-of-package systems that mostly provide nutrition information on foods or beverages, but don’t give clear guidance about their healthfulness, and toward one that encourages healthier choices through simplicity, visual clarity, and the ability to convey meaning without written information.”