Include Added Sugar Calories On Label: FDA

Consumers in the US may soon know added sugar calories per serving, if a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal is implemented.

Based on evidence from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (GAC), the FDA proposed including calorie information for added sugars. If the proposal is implemented, the nutrition label would include percent daily value of added sugar. The FDA informed that the value would be based on nutrition recommendation that calories from added sugar do not exceed 10 percent of total daily calorie intake.

"The FDA has a responsibility to give consumers the information they need to make informed dietary decisions for themselves and their families. For the past decade, consumers have been advised to reduce their intake of added sugars, and the proposed percent daily value for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label is intended to help consumers follow that advice," said Susan Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

FDA's proposal is also supported by review of other studies which suggest that sugar-sweetened foods and beverages are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The food industry has argued that providing additional information on the label increases expense and that added sugars are similar to naturally occurring sugars. The FDA is seeking comments on the proposal for 75 days.