The federal government on Tuesday issued new dietary guidelines that keep current sugar and alcohol allowances unchanged, and rejects recommendations from its scientific advisory committee to make significant cuts.
The scientific committee, which consisted of 20 academics and physicians, recommended lowering the limit for added sugars in the diet to 6% of the daily calories of 10% in the current guidelines, citing rising obesity and the link between obesity and health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The committee also recommended lowering the alcoholic drink limit for men from two to one drink per day, which is in line with the guideline for women. It pointed to research linking greater alcohol consumption to a higher risk of death.
The new guidelines do include the recommendation of the scientific committee that children under the age of 2 should not consume any added sugars at all. This is the first time that the guidelines include recommendations for babies and toddlers. Added sugars are those found in processed foods – in everything from soda to cereal – as well as honey and sugar itself. They do not contain sugars naturally occurring in foods such as fruit and milk.
The nutritional guidelines, updated every five years, have a broad impact: they shape school lunch programs, shape state and local health promotion efforts, and influence what food companies produce.
The US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services reviewed the committee’s recommendations, released in July, and decided not to include the lower limits because “the new evidence is not substantial enough to warrant changes to quantitative recommendations for added sugars or alcohol. to support. , ”Said Brandon Lipps, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services at the USDA. Mr. Lipps said the new limits recommended by the Scientific Committee did not meet the standard required by law for “preponderance of evidence”.
Food industry groups had lobbied intensively against the proposed new limits set by the Scientific Committee. When asked whether pressure from business groups had played a role in the government’s decision, Mr. Lipps said, “to the extent that stakeholders provided input on whether the science was properly revised, we took that into account” and noted that the government received more than 106,000 responses from the public. “We are committed to issuing guidelines based on sound science in an open and transparent process. We believe that ultimately is what we did, ”he said.
The American Beverage Association, which represents beverage makers including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, urged the government at a public meeting in August to maintain the 10% added sugar limit. In response to the new guidelines, the organization’s president and chief executive, Katherine Lugar, said in a statement, “US beverage companies appreciate the USDA’s common sense approach.”
The alcohol industry also praised the government’s decision, with a Beer Institute spokesman praising “maintaining the long-standing definition of moderate alcohol consumption.”
Elizabeth J. Mayer-Davis, who chaired the Federal Committee on Beverages and Added Sugars Subcommittee, said she was “disappointed that the dietary guidelines do not adopt the 6% recommendation” as a limit for added sugars. “I think it’s a missed opportunity for a stronger public health message,” says Dr. Mayer-Davis, chair of the nutrition department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Nigel Brockton, vice president of research at the American Institute for Cancer Research, said the government’s decision not to lower the alcohol limit for men “is very disappointing. The evidence for cancer is so overwhelming. Dr. Brockton said that alcohol consumption increases the risk of several cancers – including stomach, liver, colorectal and esophageal cancers – that are more common in men than women.
Poor nutrition is linked to rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. According to 2015-2016 figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70% of American adults 20 years and older are overweight or obese. According to the 2017-2018 CDC data, about 42% are obese.
In general, the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 advise people to “ follow a healthy diet ” consisting primarily of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and poultry, and low-fat dairy products, as well as seafood, nuts, and vegetable oils. They also advise limiting added sugars, saturated fats, sodium and alcoholic drinks and staying within recommended calorie limits.
USDA and HHS are launching an awareness campaign on the new guidelines around the slogan “Make Every Bite Count.” “Our goal is to help Americans make healthy food choices at every meal every day,” said Mr. Lipps. The USDA is also launching a new MyPlate.gov website that will feature a quiz to show people how closely their own eating habits meet dietary guidelines, as well as tools to get personalized eating recommendations, healthy meal recipes, and diet tips budget. .
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