Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) — Calorie counts in bold type and the added sugars in a product will be part of new food labels proposed to help U.S. consumers become healthier eaters.

The labels also will provide new serving sizes, such as 1 cup instead of a half-cup for ice cream, that more accurately reflect the way people eat, according to the proposed rules released today by the Food and Drug Administration. While the food industry introduced a voluntary front-of-package labeling system in 2011, the rules proposed today would be the first required changes to the labels in more than 20 years.

The government is largely playing catch-up as the nation's eating habits, food trends and advancements in obesity research have evolved since 1993, when labels bearing basic calorie counts and fat grams became standard. The changes are meant to help curtail the obesity epidemic and prevent chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.