FDA Logo links to FDA home page
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
HHS Logo links to Department of Health and Human Services website

FDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA

horizonal rule

FDA Proposes Action Plan to Confront Nation's Obesity Problem

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 information on the FDA Obesity Working Group's report:

Press release

Report

Backgrounder

Questions and Answers

Carbohydrate Facts

"Calories Count" (additional information)

Letter to Food Manufacturers

Sample Labels

2003 FDA Public Meetings on Obesity

 

horizonal rule