The United States government has released updated federal dietary guidelines, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new recommendations advocate for increased protein intake, the prioritization of healthy fats, and reduced consumption of ultraprocessed foods and added sugars. These guidelines aim to help prevent the onset or slow the progression of chronic diseases, influencing federal nutrition standards for various programs.
Overview of Key Changes
The updated guidelines, announced by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, represent a condensed version compared to previous iterations. Secretary Kennedy described the revisions as a significant policy shift aimed at moving away from prior approaches associated with highly-refined foods.
Key changes and emphases include:
- Protein Intake: A recommended intake of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, which equates to 81.6 to 109 grams for an individual weighing 150 pounds.
- Fats: Prioritizing oils rich in essential fatty acids, such as olive oil. Butter or beef tallow are also mentioned. Secretary Kennedy stated, "We are ending the war on saturated fats."
- Dairy: Favoring full-fat dairy products with no added sugars, with a recommendation of three servings per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. Previous guidelines had recommended low-fat or fat-free dairy for individuals over two years old.
- Grains: Prioritizing "fiber-rich" whole grains, with two to four servings per day, while recommending a significant reduction in highly processed, refined carbohydrates like white bread and flour tortillas.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Recommending three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits per day for a typical 2,000-calorie diet. Emphasis is placed on whole foods, though frozen, dried, or canned options with limited or no added sugars are deemed suitable.
- Ultraprocessed Foods (UPFs): Explicitly advising against "highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies, and candy that have added sugars and sodium (salt)." The guidelines promote nutrient-dense foods and home-prepared meals and recommend a "dramatic reduction" in UPF consumption.
- Infant Feeding: Recommending breast milk for the first six months, or iron-fortified formula if breast milk is unavailable. Breastfeeding can continue for two years or longer, but formula should cease after 12 months. Added sugars are to be avoided in infancy and early childhood, up to age 10.
- Alcohol: The guidelines suggest "less alcohol for better health," aligning with the 2020 version, but remove specific daily limits. They also recommend against consuming sugary drinks like sodas and energy drinks.
Visual Representation and Rationale
The visual representation of the American diet has been updated from the circular MyPlate to an inverted pyramid. This new visual places meats, cheese, and vegetables in the widest section at the top, or highest tier. Officials indicate that adherence to the guidance "can help prevent the onset or slow the rate of progression of chronic disease." The administration also linked the prevalence of overweight or obese adults in America (over 70%) to diets reliant on highly processed foods combined with sedentary lifestyles.
Secretary Kennedy's message during a White House briefing was, "My message is clear, eat real food." He also noted that "Protein and healthy fats are essential and were discouraged in prior dietary guidelines."
Impact on Federal Programs and Affordability
These guidelines influence federal nutrition standards for programs such as school meals, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). They also guide local health departments and determine the content of meals served in schools and on military bases.
The School Nutrition Association has expressed concerns that school meal programs may face challenges in further reducing ultraprocessed foods without adequate resources. The association stated that schools require "more staff, culinary training, equipment and infrastructure" to decrease reliance on UPFs, with 79% of school meal program directors reportedly citing an "extreme need" for increased funding to support scratch cooking.
Secretary Kennedy indicated that the administration aims to make healthy foods affordable, stating that they are working on an "education and information program" to help families find healthy foods at the lowest cost. He also highlighted the long-term health costs associated with processed foods.
Expert and Organizational Responses
The updated guidelines have generated varied reactions from health experts and organizations.
- American Medical Association (AMA): President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala applauded the administration for "spotlighting the highly processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and excess sodium that fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic illnesses." He added that the guidelines "affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health."
- American Heart Association (AHA): The AHA commended the emphasis on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and the limitation of added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods, saturated fats, and sugary drinks. However, the association expressed concerns regarding protein recommendations, stating that advice on salt seasoning and red meat consumption "could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease." The AHA encourages low-fat and fat-free dairy products for heart health and advises prioritizing plant-based proteins, seafood, and lean meats, while limiting high-fat animal products linked to increased cardiovascular risk. The AHA also called for more research on protein amounts.
- Other Experts: Some experts raised questions regarding a potential overemphasis on red meat and dairy products. Christopher Gardner, a nutrition expert at Stanford University and a former member of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, stated that prioritizing red meat and saturated fats "does go against decades and decades of evidence and research." Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard, expressed concern that the guidelines might promote high intakes of red meat and dairy. Dr. David Seres, director of medical nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center, supported limiting ultraprocessed foods but emphasized the "nuance" in defining them. Registered dietitian Bethany Doerfler from Northwestern Medicine noted that some saturated fats in full-fat dairy are less inflammatory than other animal fats but contribute more calories, increasing obesity risks. She affirmed that "more than 50 years of well-designed nutrition research demonstrates the protective effects of a dietary pattern rich in plants, unsaturated fats and limited in processed animal proteins." Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist, public health scientist, and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, commented that "milk and cheese and yogurt can be part of a healthy diet" and that "both low fat and whole fat dairy versions of milk, cheese and yogurt have been linked to lower cardiovascular risk," adding that "the fat content doesn't seem to make a big difference" in this correlation. Mozaffarian also supported the recommendations to reduce highly processed food consumption, remarking that "highly processed foods are harmful for a range of diseases."
Guideline Development Process
Federal dietary guidelines are typically updated every five years by HHS and USDA based on current research. They serve as a basis for medical recommendations, school meal planning, and food assistance programs.
Secretary Kennedy has previously criticized the traditional development process, which usually involves a scientific advisory committee reviewing research. He promised a significantly shortened set of recommendations to emphasize whole foods and has advocated for Head Start programs to transition from low-fat to full-fat dairy products. A report from the previous administration's "Make Our Children Healthy Again" initiative in September noted that "USDA and HHS will further reform future … development processes, including structure and members of the advisory committee and scientific review." Dr. Walter Willett expressed "serious concern" regarding these reforms, noting that the selection of the 2025 US Dietary Guidelines scientific advisory committee involved extensive experience and conflict of interest evaluations, a process he believes is not being followed under the current administration.