The FDA is proposing to study a “Healthy” label for packaged foods, according to a Federal Register filing. The goal is to “improve dietary patterns in the United States to help reduce the burden of diet-related chronic diseases and advance health equity.”
Use of the symbol would be voluntary and would be available for food products that meet the FDA’s definition of “healthy.”
The agency plans to conduct two studies: a survey to assess clarity, relevance, and appeal of a set of symbols, and an experimental study of the effectiveness of the draft “healthy” symbols.
This study comes at a time when consumers are struggling to identify healthy foods. A recent survey from Attest found that consumers were unable to pick the healthiest option from a selection of six snack bars.
