Dietary Guidelines Target Healthy Eating Patterns

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 released last month by the Dept. of Health and Human Services and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture take a different approach to dietary guidance than previous editions, which focused on individual dietary components, such as food groups and nutrients. The 2015–2020 guidelines focus primarily on healthy eating patterns and the food and nutrient characteristics that meet cultural preferences and tastes and provide individuals with the flexibility to make healthy food choices that are right for them and their families. “By focusing on small shifts in what we eat and drink, eating healthy becomes more manageable,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell. According to the guidelines, an eating pattern may be more predictive of overall health status and disease risk than individual foods or nutrients.

The five overarching guidelines that encourage a healthy eating pattern include the following: 1) follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan; 2) focus on variety, nutrient-dense foods, and amount; 3) limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake; 4) shift to healthier food and beverage choices; and 5) support healthy eating patterns for all.

Key recommendations on what should be included or limited as a part of a healthy eating pattern provide further guidance. The key recommendations, which include the following, are intended as an integrated set of advice to achieve an overall healthy eating pattern within calorie limits.

• For the first time, the guidelines place a quantitative limit on the intake of added sugars and recommend consumption of less than 10% of calories from added sugars.

• A quantitative limit is not recommended for cholesterol. However, this change does not suggest that dietary cholesterol is no longer important to consider when building healthy eating patterns. In fact, healthy eating patterns are designed in such a way that, if followed, they will indirectly help limit intake of cholesterol to less than 300 mg/day across 12 calorie levels.

• The limit on sodium intake remains unchanged from 2010: less than 2,300 mg/day for adults and children aged 14 and older.

• The guidelines place continued emphasis on limiting saturated fat (less than 10% of calories) and trans fat.

• Recommendations regarding incorporating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, protein, and oils remain unchanged.

• The guideline on alcohol consumption remains unchanged.

In addition, for the first time, the guidelines state that moderate coffee consumption (three to five 8-ounce cups/day providing up to 400 mg/day of caffeine) can be incorporated into healthy eating patterns. However, they do not encourage individuals who do not consume caffeinated beverages to incorporate them into their eating pattern.

The guidelines are divided into three chapters compared with six in the 2010 edition. Chapter 1, “Key Elements of Healthy Eating Patterns,” focuses on the first three guidelines, defines the core concepts of healthy eating and physical activity patterns, and describes the science supporting healthy eating patterns. Chapter 2, “Shifts Needed to Align with Healthy Eating Patterns,” focuses on the fourth guideline, discusses current eating patterns of Americans in comparison to the 2015–2020 recommendations, and describes shifts that are needed to align current intakes to recommendations. Chapter 3, “Everyone Has a Role in Supporting Healthy Eating Patterns,” focuses on the fifth guideline, describes factors that influence eating as well as physical activity behaviors, and identifies opportunities for professionals, including policymakers, to implement strategies that can help individuals align with the Dietary Guidelines.

The underlying premise of the Dietary Guidelines is that nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods and all forms of foods (fresh, canned, dried, and frozen) can be included in healthy eating patterns. Additionally, fortified foods and dietary supplements may be useful in providing nutrients that otherwise may be consumed in less-than-recommended amounts.

The focus of the guidelines is disease prevention and not treatment; they are intended to help individuals improve and maintain overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The guidelines form the basis for federal policies and programs; nutrition education materials; and programs, policies, and communication for the general public.

“Protecting the health of the American public includes empowering them with the tools they need to make healthy choices in their daily lives. The Dietary Guidelines provide science-based recommendations on food and nutrition so people can make decisions that may help keep their weight under control and prevent chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease,” said Burwell.

The emphasis on aligning current dietary patterns to the 2015–2020 recommendations presents challenges and opportunities for food scientists and technologists to develop and offer healthy food and beverage products to help consumers meet the Dietary Guidelines recommendations and improve health outcomes.

Farida Mohamedshah
Director, Food Health and Nutrition, IFT, Washington, D.C.
[email protected]