Michelle Obama to debut new nutrition labels in first design overhaul in 20 years
First Lady Michelle Obama will announce the first update to food nutrition labels in over 20 years Friday. The makeover means that nutrition labels will now list calories in bigger, bolder type, add a new line for added sugars, and tweak serving sizes so they're more realistic, The Associated Press reports.
"This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information that they need to make healthy choices," Michelle Obama said in a statement.
Many food companies fiercely oppose the changes — and re-labeling food will cost an estimated $2 billion. However, it is a feather in the cap of Obama's Let's Move! campaign, which aims to ending childhood obesity.
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Companies will have two years to meet the new labeling regulations.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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