WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration proposed new rules Tuesday that would require most packaged foods to display simplified nutrition information on the front of packages in addition to the nutrition label consumers are used to seeing on the back. 

The proposed “at-a-glance” label would prominently show whether foods contain low, medium or high levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars — all of which can be linked to chronic diseases when consumed in excess. The “Nutrition Info box” on the back of products with more detailed information about nutrients and ingredients would stay unchanged. 

“Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the food we eat,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf in a statement. “It is time we make it easier for consumers to glance, grab and go.”

Sixty percent of Americans have at least one chronic disease, according to the FDA, contributing to $4.5 trillion in annual health care costs. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.

“Food should be a vehicle for wellness, not a contributor of chronic disease,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones in a statement. He suggested manufacturers might reformulate products to achieve better nutrition ratings.

The proposal is part of the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health to reduce diet-related diseases by 2030. If finalized, large food manufacturers would have three years to implement the changes, while smaller companies with less than $10 million in annual food sales would get four years to comply. It will be up to the incoming Trump administration to finalize the rule. The proposed rule will be open for public comment until May 16.