Food Manufacturers Agree to Cut 1.5 Trillion Calories from Food Products

Reader Contribution by Susan Melgren and Web Editor
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Food is out of control in America. Portion sizes are running rampant, and we often consume far more calories than we expend each day. In addition to increased exercise, we need a return to smaller portions and healthier ingredients. When it comes to food, many of us lack the self control to cut calories from our daily diets–so it’s nice to find out that food manufacturers are doing it for us!

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, a coalition of retailers, industry trade associations, and food and beverage manufacturers, has announced that it will help Americans reduce their daily caloric intake by cutting a combined 1.5 trillion calories from its members’ products by the end of 2015. To reach this goal, the food and drink manufacturers have said they will introduce lower-calorie options, change recipes when possible to reduce the caloric content of current products, and reduce portion sizes on current single-serving products. The coalition has also said that its manufacturers will add more fiber and whole grains to their products as well as increase the number of healthy (and convenient) options for consumers. The coalition hopes to reduce at least 1 trillion calories by the end of 2012.

Members of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, including cereal makers such as General Mills and Kellog’s, have agreed to cut 1.5 trillion calories from their products. Photo By Ben McLeod/Courtesy Flickr

The Partnership for a Healthier America, an organization that works to achieve the specific goals of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign, has agreed to hold the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation accountable to their pledge by requiring annual reports of the HWCF’s progress. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has also agreed to evaluate the HWCF’s efforts and has said that it will publicly report its findings.

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation’s members include such notable food companies as Pepsico, Coca-Cola, Nestlé USA, Kellog’s, Kraft Foods, Sara Lee, Post Foods, Campbells, ConAgra Foods and General Mills.

  • Published on May 25, 2010
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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