An Australian perspective on “clean” dietary labels: Commentary on Negowetti et al. (2021)

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 52 - 54
• Main Authors: Sharp, Gemma, McLean, Courtney P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-01-2022; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Australia; clean eating; clean label; Diet; disordered eating; eating disorder; Eating disorders; education; FDA; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Food; FSANZ; Humans; Public Health; regulation; Systematic review; United States; Australia; United States; United States > US; FSANZ; eating disorder; FDA; disordered eating; education; clean eating; regulation; clean label; diet
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.23619

“Clean eating” is an increasingly popular diet trend in Western countries with links to disordered eating behaviors. However, the definition of “clean” is a highly contentious issue. Negowetti, Ambwani, Karr, Rodgers, and Austin explore this important issue from a U.S. perspective conducting a scoping review of the public health implications of the use of “clean” labels on food, including legal and policy implications. The review showed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken little action to address regulation of the use of “clean” dietary labels. Our own brief investigations suggest that the landscape in Australia under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand authority is similar. We discuss recommendations made by Negowetti et al. to address this issue in the United States, such as the FDA providing industry guidance on the term “clean,” and the issuing of warning letters to companies who contravene this guidance. However, we predict that educating consumers to be more critical of unsubstantiated food labels in public health campaigns will be the most efficient way to change consumer behavior and address the “clean eating” diet trend. We also encourage eating disorder researchers and clinicians to be an influential part of this discussion.