Preventing obesity starts in the grocery aisle with food packaging. The FDA has proposed new guidelines that would require food manufacturers to put calorie counts on the front of food packages.
The thinking is that if consumers are more aware of the caloric content of the foods they are buying, they will be more likely to make healthier choices. The problem with obesity is that it is a multi-factorial disease, meaning there are many factors that contribute to its development.
genetics, environments, lifestyles, and food choices all play a role. But when it comes to food choices, one of the biggest obstacles is the lack of information about what we are eating.
In a society where we are bombarded with marketing messages about processed food, it is no wonder that so many people make poor choices when it comes to what they eat. But if we can make calorie counts more visible, it might help people make better choices.
It is not clear yet how the FDA will implement these new guidelines, but it is an important first step in the fight against obesity.
Preventing obesity starts in the grocery aisle with food packaging
According to a new study, the best way to avoid obesity may be to start in the grocery aisle, with food packaging.
The study, published in the journal Obesity, found that people who were given nutrition information on food packaging were more likely to choose healthier options than those who were not given that information.
The study’s authors say that the findings suggest that food manufacturers and retailers could play a role in preventing obesity by providing nutrition information on their products.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Alice Lichtenstein, said that the findings “support the idea that the food environment can be changed in a way that supports healthier food choices.”
Lichtenstein said that the findings could have implications for public policy, as well.
“Our findings suggest that policies that require nutrition information on food packages could help people make healthier choices,” she said.
The study’s authors say that more research is needed to confirm their findings, but they say that the findings could lead to new strategies for preventing obesity.
