The USDA's final rule was issued this week on transitional nutrition standards for school-based meals, an action that supports ongoing whole-of-government efforts to improve nutrition, reduce chronic disease, and help create a healthier food supply for all.
“We at the FDA are doing our part and commend the USDA for their action,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D., in a statement. “If we are successful in our coordinated efforts, we could dramatically reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, advance health equity and make an impact on the health of future generations.”
She noted that one way to turn the tide on diet-related chronic diseases is through improved nutrition—a common goal that is shared by many federal partners as exhibited with USDA's final rule.
One of the FDA's signature efforts to improve the nation's nutrition is focused on reducing the level of sodium in the food supply. The FDA took a critical step to help reduce sodium through a recently released guidance that establishes voluntary sodium reduction targets in processed, packaged, and prepared foods.
The USDA's rule provides transitional standards for school meals to move towards more nutritious meals—including ones that are lower in sodium. “As a nation, we are seeing a growing epidemic of preventable, diet-related chronic diseases and increasing obesity rates over the past few decades,” said Susan T. Mayne, Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “It’s a disturbing trend, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and experienced disproportionately by racial and ethnic minority groups.”
Its transitional sodium standards align with the FDA's short-term voluntary sodium reduction targets, which in turn are anticipated to support a gradual sodium reduction strategy for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The rule also reflects the importance of the FDA's efforts moving forward to support broad, gradual reduction of sodium intake.
While this rule focuses on healthier eating for children at school, a large percentage of children's sodium intake may also be from outside the school environment, including at home. This action, coupled with the FDA's recent guidance, may further encourage the food industry to lower sodium levels in products found in schools, at home, and beyond.
Related: NYC Public Schools Kick Off ‘Vegan Fridays’; FDA Issues Final Guidance for Sodium Reduction.