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Approximately 500 products from many of the nation's top brands, including ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kellogg Company (US), Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, Sun-Maid, Tyson and Unilever (US), have already qualified for the Smart Choices Program designation in the program's 19 categories. By May 2010, more than 1,200 products will feature the symbol and calorie indicator.

"As a doctor of public health and registered dietitian, I know how challenging it can be for people to make good food and beverage choices and also keep calories in check, which is critical to both nutrition and healthy weight management," said Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RD, nutrition expert and author of The SuperfoodRx Diet. "What is so great about the Smart Choices Program compared to other types of programs or systems is that it takes everything from fruits and vegetables to meals and desserts into consideration, which is critical to building healthy habits for the long-term."

To display the Smart Choices Program symbol, a food or beverage cannot exceed standards for specific "nutrients to limit" and, for most categories, must also provide positive attributes, such as "nutrients to encourage" or "food groups to encourage." Specific qualifying criteria were developed for 19 different product categories, such as beverages, cereals, meats, dairy and snacks.

Nutrients to limit: total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium

Nutrients to encourage: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E

Food groups to encourage: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat or fat-free milk products

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