Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA
Abstract Objective: To better understand how the public defines ‘healthy’ foods and to determine whether the public considers sustainability, implicitly and explicitly, in the context of healthy eating. Design: We conducted a content analysis of public comments submitted to the US FDA in 2016 an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024000636/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797197192577941504 |
|---|---|
| author | Emily H Belarmino Michelle Carfagno Lauren Kam Kene-Chukwu Ifeagwu Miriam E Nelson Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler |
| author_facet | Emily H Belarmino Michelle Carfagno Lauren Kam Kene-Chukwu Ifeagwu Miriam E Nelson Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler |
| author_sort | Emily H Belarmino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Objective:
To better understand how the public defines ‘healthy’ foods and to determine whether the public considers sustainability, implicitly and explicitly, in the context of healthy eating.
Design:
We conducted a content analysis of public comments submitted to the US FDA in 2016 and 2017 in response to an invitation for feedback on use of the term ‘healthy’ on food labels. The analysis explored the ways in which commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ aligned with the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and whether their definitions considered sustainability.
Setting:
The US Government’s Regulations.gov website.
Participants:
All 1125 unique comments from individuals and organisations.
Results:
Commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ generally mirrored the recommendations that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put forth to promote a ‘healthy eating pattern’. Commenters emphasised the healthfulness of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish and other minimally processed foods and the need to limit added sugars, sodium, saturated and trans fats and other ingredients sometimes added during processing. One-third of comments (n 374) incorporated at least one dimension of sustainability, mainly the environmental dimension. Commenters who mentioned environmental considerations primarily expressed concerns about synthetic chemicals and genetic modification. Less than 20 % of comments discussed social or economic dimensions of sustainability, and less than 3 % of comments (n 30) used the word ‘sustainability’ explicitly.
Conclusions:
This novel analysis provides new information about the public’s perceptions of ‘healthy’ foods relative to nutrition and sustainability considerations. The findings can be used to advance policy discussions regarding nutrition labelling and guidance.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T06:40:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-90e093e380554594a5f74d5d32d5e1a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T06:40:04Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-90e093e380554594a5f74d5d32d5e1a42024-04-23T02:45:09ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272024-01-012710.1017/S1368980024000636Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDAEmily H Belarmino0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5505-1214Michelle Carfagno1Lauren Kam2Kene-Chukwu Ifeagwu3Miriam E Nelson4Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5115-2341Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Vermont, 109 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, 210 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USADivision of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADivision of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADivision of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAGerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USAInstitute for Advancing Health through Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, 1500 Research Parkway, Centeq Building B, College Station, TX 77845, USA Abstract Objective: To better understand how the public defines ‘healthy’ foods and to determine whether the public considers sustainability, implicitly and explicitly, in the context of healthy eating. Design: We conducted a content analysis of public comments submitted to the US FDA in 2016 and 2017 in response to an invitation for feedback on use of the term ‘healthy’ on food labels. The analysis explored the ways in which commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ aligned with the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and whether their definitions considered sustainability. Setting: The US Government’s Regulations.gov website. Participants: All 1125 unique comments from individuals and organisations. Results: Commenters’ definitions of ‘healthy’ generally mirrored the recommendations that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put forth to promote a ‘healthy eating pattern’. Commenters emphasised the healthfulness of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish and other minimally processed foods and the need to limit added sugars, sodium, saturated and trans fats and other ingredients sometimes added during processing. One-third of comments (n 374) incorporated at least one dimension of sustainability, mainly the environmental dimension. Commenters who mentioned environmental considerations primarily expressed concerns about synthetic chemicals and genetic modification. Less than 20 % of comments discussed social or economic dimensions of sustainability, and less than 3 % of comments (n 30) used the word ‘sustainability’ explicitly. Conclusions: This novel analysis provides new information about the public’s perceptions of ‘healthy’ foods relative to nutrition and sustainability considerations. The findings can be used to advance policy discussions regarding nutrition labelling and guidance. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024000636/type/journal_articleHealthNutritionSustainabilityFood policyFederal rulemaking |
| spellingShingle | Emily H Belarmino Michelle Carfagno Lauren Kam Kene-Chukwu Ifeagwu Miriam E Nelson Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA Public Health Nutrition Health Nutrition Sustainability Food policy Federal rulemaking |
| title | Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA |
| title_full | Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA |
| title_fullStr | Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA |
| title_short | Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of ‘healthy’ food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA |
| title_sort | consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of healthy food an analysis of submissions to the us fda |
| topic | Health Nutrition Sustainability Food policy Federal rulemaking |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024000636/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emilyhbelarmino considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda AT michellecarfagno considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda AT laurenkam considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda AT kenechukwuifeagwu considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda AT miriamenelson considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda AT rebeccaaseguinfowler considerationofnutritionandsustainabilityinpublicdefinitionsofhealthyfoodananalysisofsubmissionstotheusfda |