American Dietetic Association Alters Stance on Restaurant Labeling

While American Dietetic Association (ADA) conducts a review of the literature on restaurant and nutrition labeling, it has tweaked its formal position on restaurant labeling initiatives. Here’s the letter I received on the subject.

Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, LD, FADA
American Dietetic Association President, 2007-2008

To My Fellow ADA Members:

This past week, ADA’s Board of Directors took action that will give our Association’s members greater flexibility to lead community nutrition policies that can provide accurate, relevant restaurant menu labeling and to help consumers use that information. The Board approved a modified stance that incorporates specific guidance on restaurant labeling initiatives, in which ADA supports:

1. Voluntary labeling initiatives and collaboration with local officials, restaurant representatives, public health leaders and other registered dietitians to be the voice for public nutrition education initiatives; and
2. Mandatory restaurant labeling initiatives in those instances when they are supported by legitimate research, and include nutrition education and policy evaluation. These elements are anticipated to have positive and meaningful impacts on consumers’ food choices.

The change was recommended to the Board by the Legislative and Public Policy Committee. It is consistent with ADA’s reliance on science, accountability to members and the public and a long-term approach for shaping solutions that work for the public, but it is not a mandate to affiliates to take up work on restaurant labeling. If affiliates choose this as one of their issues, ADA members will be able to step into the spotlight to use our unique skills and knowledge to improve labeling proposals that are pending in legislatures and community councils.

Concurrent with this change in ADA’s stance, I have appointed a team of ADA members to conduct a review of the science on restaurant nutrition labeling:

• Deanne Brandstetter, MBA, RD, CDN, director of nutrition at the Compass Group (CT)
• Barbara Bruemmer, PhD, RD, CD, senior lecturer in the department of epidemiology and director of the graduate coordinated program in dietetics at the University of Washington (WA)
• Sarah Colby, PhD, RD, assistant professor in the department of nutrition and dietetics, East Carolina University (NC)
• Zena Edwards, MS, RD, food safety and nutrition faculty, Washington State University, Thurston County Extension (WA)
• Lisa Harnack, DrPH, RD, associate professor and director of the Nutrition Coordinating Center, University of Minnesota (MN)
• Alice Lenihan, RD, MPH, LDN, branch head, nutrition services, division of public health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC)
• Robin Plotkin, RD, LD, culinary and nutrition communications consultant (TX)
• Marilyn D. Schorin, PhD, RD, FADA, Schorin Strategies (KY)
• Suzanne P. Vieira, MS, RD, culinary nutrition program director, Johnson & Wales University (RI)
• Tracy Wilzcek, MS, RD, CDN, Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa (FL), Chair.

Working with the LPPC, this team will identify significant research findings related to nutrition labeling in restaurants, as well as gaps in the science and knowledge about consumer use of such information, especially as it relates to behavior change. They will report back to the Board later this year, and their work will be incorporated into ADA’s ongoing efforts on the issue of restaurant labeling.

With these steps - an immediate change in stance, a process for evaluating what can work in communities and the delivery of resources to ADA members - we believe ADA can achieve our consistent goal of helping consumers in ways that produce meaningful results, advance public nutrition and reinforce the place of the RD as the trusted expert in food and nutrition.

Next week, ADA will provide affiliate presidents, state policy representatives and public policy coordinators with additional information and resources - including potential amendments and accompanying resolutions - that can help focus the debate on solutions that will produce results helping consumers make healthier choices. ADA will also share our stance and the results of our assessment of the research with other professional and health associations and ask them to join ADA in supporting policies that will make a positive difference in the lives of consumers.

I’d call this significant news… With 70,000 members ADA could play a significant role in shaping policies like the New York City regulation to post nutrition information at the point of purchase.