(Reuters)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday proposed packaged foods requiring a front-of-package nutrition label.

The proposal plays a key role in the agency’s nutrition priorities, which are part of a government-wide effort in fighting the nation’s chronic disease crisis.

If finalized, the proposal would give consumers readily visible information about a food’s saturated fat, sodium and added sugars content — the three nutrients directly linked with chronic diseases when consumed in excess.

The World Health Organization in its draft guidelines in October said packaged food and drinks should have easy-to-read nutritional information on the front of the products to help consumers make healthier choices.