“Nutrition Labels for Better Health”

Sue Zevan, RD

Arizona Nutrition Network

SPOT THE BLOCK

• “Spot the Block - Get your food facts first” – Brand concept created by FDA– Announced June 2007

• "The Block" = Nutrition Facts Label

SPOT THE BLOCK

• Designed for Tweens (9-13 years)

• Read the Nutrition Facts – make decisions and choices based on the

information

PARTNERSHIP

• FDA is partnering with Time Warner's Cartoon Network to promote “Spot the Block” to tween audiences

• www.cfsan.fda.gov

NATIONWIDE

– Deliver the brand to tweens across the U.S.

– Cartoon Network is delivering the messages• broadcast on-air spots• integration with existing Cartoon Network

characters• Cartoon Network's Web site

TELEVISION

• Spot the Block messages are integrated with Cartoon Network's nationwide Get Animated health and fitness initiative

INTERNET

• Web ‘sitelet’ on Cartoon Network • animated spots • interactive nutrition messages • nutrition label game

•   www.SpotTheBlock.com

Spot the Block! Yo!Serving Size! Yo!

http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/promos/200702_fda/spot.html

GOALS

• Urge tweens to look for the Nutrition Facts Label on the food package

• Encourage tweens to read and think about the Nutrition Facts ("food facts") before making food choices

OBJECTIVE

• To combat childhood obesity by empowering "tweens" to look for and use the Nutrition Facts on the food label.

INFORMATION

• Check out the serving size– one package isn't necessarily one serving!

• Use serving size information– to discover the total number of calories and nutrients

per package

• Consider the calories 40 = low

100 = moderate400 = high

CHOOSE NUTRIENTS WISELY

When making daily food choices:• Get less of trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol,

sodium, sugars– 5% Daily Value (DV) = low

• Get more of potassium, fiber, vitamins A & C, iron, calcium– 20% Daily Value (DV) = high

PARENT COMPONENT

• FDA to launch a Parent Component this Spring, 2008

• Parent Outreach Objective: Help parents help their children as they learn to use the Nutrition Facts label. 

• For updates on Spot the Block Parent Outreach, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov

HOW CAN PARENTS GET INVOLVED?

• Urge tweens to look for the Nutrition Facts Panel on the Food Label

• Encourage tweens to read and think about the Nutrition Facts ("food facts") before making food choices

• Use mealtime and grocery shopping as a teachable talking time to read labels together and discuss healthy eating

• Invite tweens to check out www.SpotTheBlock.com

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html

                                           

                           

                                          

 

                           

                                           

                         

  

                                        

   

                    

   

                        

   

                                       

    

                    

   

                         

  

                                        

   

                                           

                                                                      

                                                                       

                                                                       

                       

                                                                       

                       

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                       

                     

  

                                                                       

                    

   

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

                                                                       

DVs (Daily Values)

• A guide to amount of nutrients needed daily based on a 2000 Calorie diet

• Found in the footnote of the Nutrition Facts label and do not change from product to product

%DVs (Percent Daily Values)

• percentage of the daily values found in a serving of a food

• helps determine if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient

                                           

                                                                       

                                           

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

                                                                       

PROPS, GAMES, ETC.

• Use empty food boxes with labels• Make up games

– What food has the most/least fat?– What food has the most calcium?

• “The New Food Label-There’s Something in it for Everybody” - sample at exhibit area

• Use videos, games, etc. from product catalogs– See catalogs at exhibit area

ALLERGENS• Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer

Protection Act of 2004

• Domestic and imported foods regulated by FDA and labeled on or after January 1, 2006

• To help consumers allergic to foods identify and avoid them easier

LISTING ALLERGENS

• Unless the food source of a major food allergen is part of the ingredient's common or usual name (or is already identified in the ingredient list), it must be included in one of two ways.

LISTING ALLERGENS

• In parentheses following the name of the ingredient. Examples: "lecithin (soy)," "flour (wheat)," and "whey (milk)"

– OR –• Immediately after or next to the list of

ingredients in a "contains" statement. Example: "Contains Wheat, Milk, and Soy."

The Eight Major Food Allergens Identified by the Act

• Milk • Eggs • Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod) • Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp) • Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans) • Peanuts • Wheat • Soybeans

MORE INFORMATION

• For more information visit FDA’s food allergy page

• http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-alrgy.html

MyPyramid

• MyPyramid for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

• MyPyramid Menu Planner-– Plan food choices to meet your MyPyramid

goals-available March, 2008

MORE MyPyramid

• MyPyramid Podcasts– show how taking small steps can add up to

real changes in your weight and health.  

• Public Service Announcements (PSA’s)“Good Nutrition Can Lead to Great Things” – Ad Council and Walt Disney Studios Home

Entertainment– Refers to MyPyramid.gov