2023 is shaping up to be another busy year in food and nutrition policy. From 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) progress to major front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) decisions, now is the time to step back, assess your priorities, and make a plan for successful engagement.
Consider the following preview of two hotly anticipated items and reach out to Global Food IQ to explore opportunities for your organization.
The 2025-2030 DGA development process is underway. On February 9-10, the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Committee (DGAC) held its first of six planned public meetings. The group of nutrition and public health experts was enthusiastic about its charge to incorporate equity into science reviews and recommendations, and appeared interested in finding ways to give observational research more weight in DGAC conclusions. Process changes could allow external systematic reviews – such as those conducted by the World Health Organization, Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and Health Canada – to inform DGAC findings, potentially increasing the influence that global nutrition recommendations will have on this cycle.
The 2025 DGAC will meet five more times in 2023 and 2024, with the next meeting planned for May 10. Tune in for discussion around final scientific questions, research protocols, and subcommittee and working group assignments.
- To-Do: Understand how the DGAC’s science review will impact your organization’s goals and operations. Consider submitting comments on the scientific protocols and expert consultants the DGAC can collaborate with on topics of interest (e.g., research methodologies, food science expertise, ultra-processed foods).
The “healthy” claim comment period has closed, as new FOPL work begins. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will now review around 1,500 public comments the agency received on its proposed revision to the nutrient content claim “healthy.” Expect stakeholder feedback to be diverse and wide-ranging, and for FDA to prioritize finalizing this regulation in light of its inclusion in the national strategy accompanying the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
Concurrently, FDA recently announced it will conduct experimental research on FOPL formats, setting the stage for new interpretive-style nutrition labeling in the U.S. While a government-led FOPL system would be new in America, global FOPL use has boomed in the last decade. Look for these experiences, plus the E.U.’s forthcoming decision around mandatory, harmonized FOPL labeling, to inform FDA’s decision.
- To-Do: Review the impact of “healthy” and potential FOPL systems on portfolios and business practices, to determine what type of label your organization could support.
These examples only scratch the surface of important food and nutrition policy actions expected in 2023. Contact Global Food IQ to learn what else is on the calendar.
Explore More: Food Policy at Nutrition 2023
