Washington is putting pressure on large snack food companies to curb the levels of fat, sugar and sodium in their food. The big business and issue is now obesity in America, and the response is "how do we fix or change it."

The snack vending machine could be changing too, at least the kinds of products everyone is going to buy from the vending machine. Consumers know that bad food is bad for you; it's a simple equation of high calories equals weight gain. But the draw of unhealthy snack food has been a longtime problem, and consumers like us know that the battle over weight gain isn't an easy one.

We know that the industry has responded. Recently, at the sweets and snacks expo in Chicago, this was seen in a marked increase in healthy snacks that promote less sugar, fat and sodium. This expo showed that you could have the sweets, but without all the unhealthy indulgences. New snacks such as dark chocolate covered coffee beans, and sugar-free candy bars stole the spotlight at the expo.

We also know that there has been a market shift towards healthier snacks. And with legislation requiring nutritional labeling on vending machines, which is only required for vending machine operators who own 20 or more vending machines, consumers will have more power to decide on the snacks they want.

It is obvious that many consumers already know that a candy bar is an unhealthy choice, but with the power of knowledge about a product, also brings with it a certain understanding about what else is in the food, such as additives and preservatives.

The popularity of healthier vending machine items have certainly increased. Schools have changed their vending machine items, and many states have switched over to healthier snacking items.

Large snack food companies feel pressure from Washington, the media, and many other sources of advocacy, because of the attention towards the problem of obesity in America. But they have changed due to this pressure. That pressure emanated from Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign to combat childhood obesity.

Another primary movement that encouraged this change was the agenda put forth by President Bill Clinton and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, particularly focused on discussing the factors of obesity and the impact of sugary drinks and fatty foods.

With the support from the large snack food companies, and their motivation to change recipes to limit or reduce the amount of fat, sugar and sodium in their products, the entire industry is seeking ways to please the masses, and relieve the pressure from outside sources.

Time will tell if the overall movement to combat obesity will reduce the number of overweight individuals in America. One thing is certain however, the market for healthier snack food is on the rise, as consumers are faced with the option for advocacy against obesity and additional nutritional labeling on food, potentially everywhere they go.

Contact United Marketing if you are interested in starting your own business with vending machines. We do offer a large selection of vending machine opportunities, including snack vending machines. We also have vending machine experts ready to answer any of your questions.