In his final weeks leading the Senate health committee, Sen. Bernie Sanders is taking on "big food." Sanders led a hearing Thursday to interrogate how ultra-processed foods affect our bodies and how they are regulated. He is campaigning for legislation that would require warning labels on the packaging of ultra-processed foods - a step other countries took years ago.
Speaking to Business Insider on Tuesday, Sanders said he sees warning labels as a necessary first step to influence food manufacturers in America to make healthier products, especially for kids. "When a parent goes out shopping, they need to know that there are products that are just not healthy for their kids," Sanders said.
Obesity has more than tripled among children since the 1970s, per CDC data. Research suggests ultra-processed foods play a significant role, though it's not clear why. Foods high in added sugars, fats, and sodium make up a majority of the calories that many Americans consume and may drive people to eat more.
Major food companies have said new labels would be expensive to produce and the cost would be passed onto consumers. Some argue mandatory warning labels would violate their right to free speech. They say we should stick with the current system: a voluntary policy in which companies can put health warnings on the product packaging if they see fit.
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