Food Rating Systems

Overview

The Nutrition, Labeling and Education Act of 1990 requires U.S. food manufacturers to disclose certain nutritional information about their products via standardized package labels. Congress and the Food and Drug Administration are responsible for enacting and implementing this Act.  Partly in response to the escalating obesity epidemic, food manufacturers and retailers have developed more than a dozen different nutrition rating systems and labels to help guide consumers in their food purchasing decisions and dietary choices.

Nutrition rating systems present opportunities for educating consumers about nutrition and promoting changes in dietary practices, but the varied formats and criteria of these system also pose potential problems. Some critics argue that nutrition rating systems, which were intended to simplify consumers’ purchasing decisions and make nutritional information easier to comprehend, have instead led to a confusing maze of competing nutrition claims. Where once grocery shoppers were simply able to consult a Nutrition Facts panel or ingredients list on a food package, they now are faced with a confusing array of different labels, symbols, ratings, on-package health claims, in-store signs, and food advertisements.

Public health professionals and policymakers are currently studying the effectiveness of U.S. nutrition rating systems, exploring the role of agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration in overseeing food labeling, and considering policy options to develop and enforce nutrition rating systems that are of the most benefit to consumers.  The overall public health goal is to provide consumers with useful and convenient nutritional information that they can use to improve their diets.

Select Legislation

• Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (federal law requiring U.S. food manufacturers to disclose certain nutritional information about their products on package labels)

Select Resources

• Harvard School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source, Food Rating Systems: A Not-So-Smart Choice. Website contains current legislative news and research about nutritional rating systems.
• Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.  Website contains policy briefs and resources on key obesity prevention topics.

Select Research

• Raquel Pereira, Understanding the Maze of Nutrition Symbols and Nutrition Labeling Systems, 23 Diabetes Spectrum 1 (2010).
• Carolyn L. Engelhard et al., Urban Inst., Reducing Obesity: Policy Strategies From the Tobacco Wars 34 (2009).
• Josephine M. Wills et al., Exploring Global Consumer Attitudes Toward Nutrition Information on Food Labels, 67 Nutrition Rev. S102, S105 (2009).