AMA Says Nutritional Rating System Would Curb Obesity

CHICAGOThe American Medical Association (AMA) is boosting its efforts to reduce obesity by tackling the price disparity between nutritious and unhealthy foods, and addressing inaccuracies on nutritional labels.

The AMA House of Delegates approved several nutrition-related policies, including one that urges the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use more precise processes to measure fat content in foods. Delegates also called on the FDA to include the most accurate nutritional information on food labels.

FDA nutrition labeling requirements allow trans fat or saturated fat content to be reported as zero if the food product contains less than 0.5 grams per serving. That means someone eating a product labeled "trans fat-free" could be consuming as much as 20 percent to 25 percent of his or her recommended daily allowance of trans fat, said Ryan Ribeira, regional medical student alternate delegate. The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total daily calories.

Citing a price gap between nutritious foods and calorie-dense, nutrition-poor products, delegates also adopted policy that supports efforts to lessen the cost disparity. The policy calls on the AMA to encourage the expansion of existing programs that aim to improve nutrition and reduce obesity.

Even when individuals can afford healthy food it is not always clear what products are the most nutritious. To help consumers make better food choices, delegates asked the AMA to support implementation of a uniform nutritional rating system in the United States. The system should be evidence-based, developed without food industry influence, applicable to nearly all foods and easily understood by consumers. It should also permit relative comparisons of different foods.

"We know we have a significant obesity epidemic. If people eat healthier food that will reduce [the problem] ... but they can't understand existing labels on food," said Robert Gilchick, MD, MPH, of Los Angeles, a delegate of the American College of Preventive Medicine.