United States Department of Health and Human Services Food and

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels Proposed Rule
Docket No. FDA-2012-N-1210
COMMENTS OF:
The Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
Lisel Loy
1225 I St, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 204-2400
July 21, 2014
Dr. Margaret Hamburg
Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993
Re: Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels; Docket No.
FDA-2012-N-1210
Dear Commissioner Hamburg,
The members of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative of the Bipartisan Policy Center are
writing in support of the Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label. Consumers need
access to nutrition information that is easy to understand to support their ability to make
informed, healthy choices. The nutrition facts label is one key source of this information for
Americans, and we support the FDA’s effort to increase the clarity and relevance of the
information presented. Specifically, we support the larger font for calories, the larger font for the
number of servings per container, and the layout change that makes the percentages easier to
read.
In our 2012 report, Lots to Lose: How America’s Health and Obesity Crisis Threatens our
Economic Future, we made a number of recommendations for addressing the high rates of
obesity and chronic disease in America. Among them was the recommendation that FDA and
USDA enhance public awareness and understanding of federal nutrition guidelines. The nutrition
facts label is an important opportunity for communicating with the public, and it will be
important going forward for federal agencies to develop coordinated nutrition messaging
campaigns to clearly and consistently educate the public on the new label and how to use the
revised information to make informed food and beverage choices.
Sincerely,
Secretary Dan Glickman, Co-Chair, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan Policy
Center and former Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman, Co-Chair, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan
Policy Center and former Secretary of Agriculture
Lisel Loy, Director, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
Robin Schepper, Senior Advisor, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan Policy
Center
Hannah Martin, Policy Analyst, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan Policy
Center
Caitlin Krutsick, Administrative Assistant, Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative, Bipartisan
Policy Center