Opportunities exist to enhance public health through improvements in food quality and dietary choices. Nearly half of all Americans suffer from one or more chronic health conditions linked to food and beverages, including 40% of school-age children. Alarmingly, only about 25% of individuals aged 17–24 are considered prepared for military basic training. There has been a significant decline in the nutritional quality of food, contributing to approximately 90% of the estimated $4.3 trillion in annual healthcare costs in the U.S., which is exacerbated by poor food quality and diet-related diseases.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the conceptual foundation and scientific integrity of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, particularly their failure to adequately consider the relationship between food nutritional quality and chronic disease. While healthier foods and diets could benefit individuals, families, and communities, troubling trends persist in many countries.

The gap between current and optimal food quality and dietary intake patterns is particularly significant in the United States, especially for children. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing a new front-of-pack labeling scheme aimed at providing clearer guidance for shoppers to make healthier choices. The FDA's "Notice," published in the Federal Register on January 26, 2023, seeks public comments on the definition of healthy food and the design of new front-of-package nutrition labeling. The FDA aims to improve dietary patterns in the U.S. to reduce the burden of nutrition-related chronic diseases and promote health equity, as these diseases disproportionately affect certain racial and ethnic minority groups and individuals with lower socioeconomic status.