Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services released the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans highlighting the need for Americans to focus on their overall diet and make food and beverage choices that help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight. America’s beverage industry is doing our part to help Americans manage their calorie intake by offering the options and information they need to make the choice that's right for them.

The beverage industry was among the first to support First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, which encourages children to be active and balance their diets, by placing clear calorie labels on the front of every can, bottle and pack we produce. Through innovation we are providing the smaller portion sizes and no- and lower-calorie options that consumers want.

We are also committed to helping educate Americans about how to balance everything they eat, drink and do. Last year, we partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to launch our Balanced Calories initiative and set a goal to reduce beverage calories consumed per person nationally by 20 percent by 2025. To meet that goal, we are undertaking broad, measurable actions in product innovation, marketing communications, distribution and education to drive consumer behavior changes and help improve America’s health.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia M. Burwell said that, "By focusing on small shifts in what we eat and drink, eating healthy becomes more manageable.”

We agree. Through our leadership efforts we are making a real and lasting impact in communities across the nation and offering meaningful solutions to help consumers find the balance that is right for them.

For additional information on how our industry delivers, visit DeliveringChoices.org.