US Food Industry Pledges to Reduce Calories

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation in the US has pledged to reduce one trillion calories by the end of 2012, as part of the country’s childhood anti-obesity campaign.

An alliance of 16 US food manufacturers, including Campbell Soup, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods and PepsiCo, said it will also slash 1.5 trillion calories by the end of 2015.

The members produce 20-25% of food consumed in the US.

Food manufacturers have been under pressure from state and local governments, which are considering junk-food taxes and other anti-obesity measures.

According to an estimate, the energy gap between the number of calories consumed and those not expended through physical activity is nearly 100 calories per day per person.