A new labeling system is stirring up controversy among food science and obesity researchers and it’s hitting your grocery store shelves now. The New York Times introduced the program and the debate earlier this month. Click here to read “For Your Health, Froot Loops.”

So why do we need another labeling system about nutritional content of food when we already have the facts on the side of the box? The president of the Smart Choices board and dean of Tufts University’s Nutrition Science and Policy school explained:

…the program was also influenced by research into consumer behavior. That research showed that, while shoppers wanted more information, they did not want to hear negative messages or feel their choices were being dictated to them.

“The checkmark means the food item is a ‘better for you’ product, as opposed to having an x on it saying ‘Don’t eat this,’ ” Dr. Kennedy said. “Consumers are smart enough to deduce that if it doesn’t have the checkmark, by implication it’s not a ‘better for you’ product. They want to have a choice. They don’t want to be told ‘You must do this.’

Kellog’s, Kraft, PepsiCo and General Mills have all boarded the Smart Choice ship and will display a large green checkmark, saying that the product has been approved by the program and is a nutritious buy.

(Courtesy of nytimes.com)

This program raises so many questions that I feel like an inquisitive four-year-old bothering their busy parents.

• Do these companies actually care about providing a nutritious option for their consumers or are they more concerned with their own bottom line—hoping that this check mark will increase sales?
• And what makes a food “healthy?”
• How do you make choices about what foods you eat? Is there a specific nutrient/listing on the nutrition facts that you look to first?
• Would a positive reinforcement system like Smart Choices have more influence on your supermarket pick than the traditional nutrition facts label?
• Does the Smart Choices system do too much to highlight the benefits of a food (for example, fortified with vitamins, some whole grains) while avoiding nutritional pitfalls (such as added sugars or high sodium levels)?
• Should food labeling be regulated so that food producers can’t create their own system that could potentially “trick” customers?

I’d love to hear your responses on any or all of the above questions…or your general opinion of the article or the Smart Choices program.

Have a great Thursday and I’ll see you Saturday for an eats post (unless I come up with more interesting articles or other items to post in the meantime). Look forward to a yummy product review!

Edited to add: How do I get one of those green checkmark suckers on my peach?