A new report released last week from the Institute of Medicine states that it would be beneficial to consumers if nutritional labels related to obesity were printed on the front of food packaging.
The IOM wants labels regarding calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium printed on the front of food packaging. Obesity relates to these four nutrients the most.
According to a 2008 Oregon Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, 55 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed were at normal weight, 27 percent were overweight, and 14 percent were obese. 41 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 were at risk for chronic disease based on their body mass index being 25 or higher. A person is considered overweight when they have a BMI between 25 and 30, and are considered obese when their BMI is over 30.
The IOM committee is going to review the research on consumers’ understanding of different kinds of nutritional information and release a second report with recommendations of the efficiency of nutrition labels on the front of packages. The report will also include the committee’s assessment of the benefits and flaws of a standardized front-label food packaging regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the IOM press release. University students and nutritionists have mixed opinions on front-of-food-package nutritional labels.
Jessica Wilson, University dietitian, said that the real issue with food labels is how food companies present serving size information.
“Labels can be misleading,” Wilson said. Food and drinks are not packaged based on serving size. Drinks are often packaged in two serving sizes.
University senior Fei Lu said she looks at nutritional labels when choosing between two similar products, and she chooses the healthier option. She said obesity does not seem like much of an issue on campus, but might be an issue in other places.
“College students are more likely to exercise,” Lu said.
Putting nutritional labels on the front of food packages might not matter to people who already do not care about healthy eating, University junior Julia Popp said.
“If you care about it, you’re going to look on the back (of packaging),” she said.
The University dining information page has already began trying to fight obesity on campus.
The Housing website lists nutrition information and resources for University students. The website also advises students to not “eat from the package,” or to be aware of serving sizes. Students should read nutritional labels to find out the serving size, calories in one serving and how many servings they can eat based on their activity level, the website advises.
The IOM’s report was sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to the IOM’s press release.
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