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FDA's Plan to Tackle U.S. Obesity

Since the late 1980s, adult obesity has steadily increased in this country. About 64 percent of Americans are overweight and more than 30 percent are obese. To help tackle what FDA is calling the "nation's obesity epidemic," the agency released, on March 12, 2004, the final report of its Obesity Working Group.

The group's long- and short-term proposals are based on the scientific fact that weight control is mainly a function of caloric balance. That is, calories in must equal calories out. So FDA is focusing on "calories count" as the basis of its actions and the message of its obesity campaign.

Recommended actions include:

More on FDA's "Calories Count" Campaign

Testimony/Speeches

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