Weekly Newsletter | August 17, 2023
Food & Nutrition

FDA to Host Public Meeting and Listening Sessions on Added Sugar Consumption
FDA announced that the agency is hosting, in collaboration with other HHS divisions and USDA, a virtual public meeting on November 6, 2023, followed by virtual public listening sessions on November 7-8, 2023, to discuss strategies for reducing added sugar consumption in the U.S. This announcement follows recommendations outlined within the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, calling on FDA to host a public meeting regarding future steps to reduce added sugar consumption, including developing reduction targets for categories of foods, similar to the voluntary targets the agency developed for sodium. Registration for the virtual meeting and listening sessions will open September 2023.

Instacart Becomes First Online Grocery Marketplace to Accept SNAP EBT in 50 States
Instacart, a grocery technology company, announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is now available to purchase groceries online in all 50 states and Washington D.C. This announcement makes Instacart the first online grocery marketplace to accept SNAP EBT in all 50 states. The company’s commitment is part of Instacart’s Health Initiative announced at the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Similarly, other delivery platforms, such as Doordash, announced their acceptance of SNAP EBT with select grocery partners in June 2023.

Study Suggests SSBs Increase Chronic Liver Disease Mortality Risk
A study published in JAMA examined the associations between the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs), and the incidence of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality. Researchers found that those who consumed one or more SSBs per day had a higher risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality, compared with an intake of three or fewer servings of SSBs per month. However, those who consumed one or more ASBs per day did not have an increased incidence of liver cancer or chronic liver disease mortality, compared with an intake of three or fewer ASBs per month. Researchers suggest that future studies are needed to further identify the biological pathways of SSBs and ASBs and their association with chronic liver disease mortality.
Agriculture

USDA Publishes Proposed Rule to Improve Access to Food Distribution Programs
USDA published the proposed rule, Food Distribution Programs: Improving Access and Parity, to improve access and parity within several food distribution programs, including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and USDA Foods disaster response. The proposed amendments are intended to help ensure that eligible populations are able to more easily access the programs and streamline requirements for program operators. Comments on this proposed rule are due October 13, 2023.

Public Health Organizations Send Letter Proposing Farm Bill Recommendations
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health sent a letter on behalf of 40 health and public health professional associations to the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. In the letter, the groups outlined a set of food policy recommendations to be considered in the upcoming Farm Bill that aim to 1) support healthy foods by improving access to SNAP, 2) support healthy farms by increasing support for conservation programs and sustainable and organic agriculture, 3) support a fair and just farm system by investing in rural communities through greater access to credit and technical assistance, and 4) support expanded research to develop tools to ensure the health and safety of the food and farm system in the U.S.
Global

WHO to Launch Healthier Food Environment at Sports Events Action Guide
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Department of Nutrition and Food Safety is hosting a webinar to launch the new action guide, "Healthier food and healthier food environments at sports events," on August 24, 2023. The webinar will feature experts and national authorities of sports event host countries on how to improve the food offer and food environments at sports events. The forthcoming action guide proposes five actions to achieve healthier food and healthier food environments in and around sports stadia, from improving the food offered to reducing ‘harmful’ marketing. The WHO continues to call for action by a variety of stakeholders, including national governments, sports organizations, athletes, private sector companies, and academia to promote public health at sporting events.


Fun Fact: The Hawaiian-style pizza was invented in Canada, not Hawaii.