healthclaim

Healthclaim is a statement that a product has a health effect beyond its basic nutritional value. It can suggest that consuming the product will maintain or improve health, reduce the risk of disease, or influence a physiological function. Health claims are common on foods, dietary supplements, and, in some jurisdictions, cosmetics.

Regulatory oversight varies by country. In the United States, health claims on foods are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Authorized health claims must be supported by evidence and either reflect a consensus in the scientific community (significant scientific agreement) or be based on an authoritative statement from a federal agency. Qualified health claims may be permitted with conveying the degree of scientific evidence and a disclaimer. Structural or function claims related to dietary supplements may be allowed if they do not claim to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease, and must include a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated the claim and that the product is not intended to diagnose or treat disease.

In the European Union, health claims are evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority and may only be used if they are authorized on the EU Register of nutrition and health claims. The claims must be based on generally accepted scientific evidence and reflect a cause-and-effect relationship between a food or constituent and health.

Health claims differ from general nutrition claims, which describe nutrient content (such as "low fat"). They are intended to inform consumers but must avoid misleading statements and comply with labeling rules.