New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Released
Jan 11, 2021
Research continues to show that the foods and beverages we consume greatly impact our health. Incorporating good nutritional habits can help you achieve and maintain good health, as well as reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Recently, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a process that has taken place every five years since 1980.
While many of the recommendations stay consistent over time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 used advances in scientific knowledge to develop its three key points:
- The guidelines recognize that diet-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancer, are very prevalent among Americans. More than half of adults in the U.S. today have one or more diet-related chronic diseases. That is why the new Dietary Guidelines focus on all individuals because nearly everyone, no matter their health status, can benefit from including better food and beverage choices.
- The guidelines focus on dietary patterns. What does that mean? Basically, it means that we consume foods in various patterns over time, and our "pattern" of eating can affect our health. So, rather than looking at one particular nutrient or food, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines remind us about the importance of a healthy dietary pattern as a whole.
- The guidelines focus on a lifespan approach. It is important that we adopt healthy dietary patterns at every stage of our lives, from infancy through older adulthood. And, for the first time in about 35 years, the guidelines include recommendations for infants and toddlers.
Find easy-to-understand information about the Dietary Guidelines here, then be sure to check out our Online Recipe Center to help you incorporate tasty, healthy foods into your daily meals. Eat Well!