News: HHS and USDA Release the 2005 Dietary Guidelines

The Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture today released the latest version of Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which includes a section on alcohol.  Despite a few changes, the Guidelines' overall sound advice is little changed since the 2000 edition, focusing on moderation for drinkers and a short catalogue of those who shouldn't drink at all. 

In some ways the discussion section has been strengthened: the "Key Recommendations" are more comprehensive than the "Advice for Today" in the 2000 Guidelines; in connection with the benefits of moderate drinking, the new Guidelines point out other (non-alcoholic) means of attaining similar results; the Guidelines highlight the reality that many Americans don't drink at all and that abstention is an "important option."  In addition, the new version refines the definition of "moderate drinking" by noting that the limits on consumption should not be averaged over several days but should be considered a maximum intake on any single day.

The 2005 discussion of alcoholic beverages, in keeping with an emphasis found throughout the Guidelines, pays significant attention to the calories in alcoholic beverages, listing several types of drinks and specifically mentioning the additional calories in mixers combined with distilled spirits.  This emphasis should help in our efforts at TTB to require calorie and other labeling of alcoholic beverages.  Unfortunately, the consumer brochure that accompanies the Guidelines, "Finding Your Way to a Healthier You," provides sound advice about drinking, but offers far less detail than previous consumer brochures on the Guidelines.  The Guidelines document itself runs some 70 pages.

Updated January 12, 2004

Related Links:

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005

HHS/USDA Press Release

Previous Editions of the Dietary Guidelines

"Finding Your Way to a Healthier You"  [PDF]

Email this link

Alcohol Policies Home

Project Description

Project Issues

Action Alerts

Fact Sheets

Press Releases

Washington Report

News & Resources

Publications

Links

Employment

CPAP Homepage

NAPUD

Ask Alcohol Policies

Alcohol Policies Archives