New Zealand looks at "traffic lights" for unhealthy foods

In a unique development meant to warn consumers about the food they are about to eat, New Zealand's government may be installing a "traffic light" system that warns food-consuming patrons about obesity-causing foods and drinks.

That is, if companies in New Zealand don't do this first in voluntary fashion. The system involves labels colored red, yellow and green in indicate levels of fat, salt and sugar lurking inside foods.

It may take something as basic as this to give food consumers "at a glance" information about food nutrition, and I applaud it. From what I've seen, many consumers would love to eat healthy, but then they don't pay attention to food labels and nutritional information that would help them make an informed choice. Such a "traffic light" system would make decision making fairly straightforward.