Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans contains the federal government’s basic nutrition advice for its citizens, and forms the basis for much federal, state, and local nutrition policies.
Updated once every five years, the DGA is written jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, based on a science report written by a distinguished panel of scientific experts, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
The advice in the Guidelines has changed little in the past 35 years. The document typically calls on Americans to consume more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, and less refined grains, added sugars, and fatty meat. While some have actually blamed the Guidelines for obesity or other health problems in the population, the truth is that Americans have not, nor do they now, eat according to the Guidelines. That’s why the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other health advocates support policies that help Americans select diets that are more in line with the government’s sensible advice.
Background Information about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
The Process to Develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The process to develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is underway. For the first time, the guidelines will provide nutrition advice for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children through 24 months of age. Learn more about the process and how to get involved at dietaryguidelines.gov. Below you will find some of our advocacy materials, including written and oral comments submitted to the federal agencies and advisory committee charged with updating the guidelines. As usual, CSPI is working to ensure that this update is based on the strongest science available.
- CSPI Testimony at USDA Listening Session on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, November 2017
- CSPI Comment on Topics and Comments to be examined in 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- CSPI Oral Testimony to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee - Meeting 2, July 2019
- AICR Comments to the DGAC re: systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- Comment on Proposed Systematic Review Protocol Regarding Types of Dietary Fat and Cardiovascular Disease
- CSPI Comment to 2020 DGAC re: Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease, October 2019
CSPI on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
- Medium article by Michael F. Jacobson: Burying the Snackwell Myth (12/11/15)
- Fact Sheet: Americans Not Following Dietary Guidelines (12/9/15)
- Key Excerpts from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 (1/7/16)
- CSPI Press Release: New "Dietary Guidelines" Recommends Eating Less Sugar & Meat (1/7/16)
- Click to Watch Webinar: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 Report Briefing (1/8/16)
- Slides from Webinar (1/8/16)
- USDA Listening Session on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Oral Testimony of Michael F. Jacobson
Background on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
- DGA House Sign-on Letter Re: Agriculture and Labor/HHS Appropriations Riders on Dietary Guidelines (11/16/15)
- DGA Senate Sign-on Letter Re: Agriculture and Labor/HHS Appropriations Riders on Dietary Guidelines (11/16/15)
- Press release: Nation's Health Groups Oppose Anti-Science Appropriations Riders Designed to Gut Dietary Guidelines for Americans (11/16/15)
- Letter of retraction to the British Medical Journal re: Nina Teicholz's “BMJ Investigation” of the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) (11/5/15)
- Press release: Scientists Call for Retraction of BMJ Feature on Dietary Guidelines (11/5/15)
- Press release: House Agriculture Hearing Shows Why Experts, not Politicians, Should Guide Government Nutrition Guidelines (10/7/15)
- Statement: Science, Not Politics, Should Guide Dietary Guidelines (10/7/15)
- Statement: BMJ Publishes Error-Laden Attack on Dietary Guidelines Report
- Report: Congressional Catering: How Big Food and Agricultural Special Interests Wield Influence in Congress and Undermine Public Health
- Press release: Beef and Other Food Business Donations Funding Congressional Meddling on Nutrition (6/25/15)
- Press release: Nation's Health Groups Oppose Appropriations Riders Aimed at Gutting Dietary Guidelines for Americans (6/24/15)
- Statement: Congress Proposes to Freeze Nutrition Advice in Time (6/18/15)
- Press release: Health Groups Provide Strong Support for Recommendations of 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (5/11/15)
- Statement: New Dietary Guidelines Should Limit Sugar, Salt, Red and Processed Meats (3/24/15)
- Leading Organizations Support the Recommendations of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (03/24/15)
- Statement: Senators Wrong on Meat Advice in Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (3/12/15)
- Statement: Dietary Guidelines Advice, Mostly Unchanged, is Mostly Praised by CSPI (2/19/15)