The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) submitted its scientific report to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture Dec. 10. Its evidence-based findings and recommendations address nutrition and health from pregnancy and childhood through adulthood and is the foundation for the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Stakeholders have 60-days to submit comments and can provide oral comments at a virtual public meeting on Jan. 16 held by USDA and HHS.
No clear guidance on ultra-processed foods, industry calls for more clarity
Health advocates and industry stakeholders who wanted the DGAC to weigh in on the growing concern about the impact of ultra-processed foods (UPF) on health will be disappointed in the report.
DGAC did not provide a clear guidance on UPF, citing that the category does not have a unified definition. It added it expects research on the health impacts of UPFs will expand in the next five years.
While there is no agreed-upon definition of UPF, it typically includes highly modified products that contain additives, preservatives and other ingredients beyond the household kitchen.
Some nutrition experts argue that enough evidence shows the adverse health impacts of consuming UPF to justify guidance.
“Despite widespread attention and research on the role of UPFs contributing to poor health outcomes, the report does not recommend limiting their consumption. There is clear research that people eat an extra 500 calories when eating UPFs, and yet despite an obesity epidemic, the report does not emphasize limiting such foods,” Lisa Young, nutrition consultant and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University told FoodNavigator-USA.
The report is “highly conservative and a missed opportunity” for its “glaring omissions” on balancing calories and reducing consumption of UPFs, said Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, Emerita, New York University.
“This committee is way behind current decisions of the food industry’s role in promoting obesity and chronic disease,” Nestle explained to FoodNavigator-USA.
Nestle added that despite DGAC positioning on UPF’s lack of definition, “the concept is pretty easy to understand” due to “literally hundreds of studies” linking UPF to adverse health outcomes. Clinical trials show that consuming UPF increases caloric intake between 500 to 1,000 calories, yet the committee “chose to ignore those well-controlled trials because they were short term,” Nestle added.
The Dietary Guidelines scientific report reiterates concerns about studies on UPF due to the lack of a clear definition of the term.
While the DGAC’s scientific report “reiterates concerns” about UPF research and a lack of a clear definition, public health guidance should avoid oversimplifications such as labeling all processed foods as unhealthy, Sarah Gallo, SVP of product policy, Consumer Brands Association, told FoodNavigator-USA.
“Attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities,” Gallo said.
Rather, she calls for a more nuanced and practical public health guidance “empowering consumers with clear nutritional information and preserving consumer choice so they can make the right decisions for their personal health goals.”
Check out more coverage of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee meetings from FoodNavigator-USA
- How would eliminating ultra-processed foods and products high in sugar, fat impact diet, health?: Diets that exclude foods high in added sugar and saturated fat, like sugary drinks, snacks and processed meat, still provide sufficient levels of essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
- DGAC needs to be 'free of food industry commercial interest': A lack of transparency around 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) members' affiliation with industry trade groups and multinational brands sparked scrutiny by public health advocates after last week's committee meeting.
- DGAC: Diets high in plant-based foods are moderately linked towards reducing illness: Although the DGAC did not find strong evidence between dietary patterns and disease risk, some age-related cognitive health issues and breast cancer are moderately linked to diet.
- DGAC highlights nutritional disparities from latest dietary guidelines review: Removing animal-based and carbohydrate-containing products and other food g roups can lead to significant nutrient deficiencies, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).
- Unsaturated vs saturated fats, Dietary Guidelines on dairy, meat & plant-based oils: DGAC determined the relationships bet ween saturated fat and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the roles of dairy, red meat and plant-based oils with findings from last week’s meeting indicating benefits of reducing saturated fat intake, though many comparisons lacked sufficient evidence for definitive conclusions.
- Nutrition experts reveal Healthy US-style dietary pattern – but is it flexible enough?: The 2025 DGAC recommends consolidating various dietary patterns into a single, inclu sive Healthy US-Style Dietary Pattern that includes nutrient-dense, plant-based foods and which is accessible for all Americans.
- Dietary Guidelines Advisory Subcommittees collaborate on diet simulations for diverse populations: The DGAC's Health Equity Working Group and Food Pattern Modeling and Data Analysis subcommittees provided details on its pilot program to develop dietary intake patterns for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, a potential proof-of-concept for developing health-oriented and culturally appropriate protocols for other diverse groups, during its fourth meeting on Jan. 19.
- DGAC recommends more repeated exposure to healthy foods for kids: The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) recommended i ntroducing a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains at appropriate ages does not adversely impact growth or increase obesity risk in young children.
- Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee prioritizes eating patterns, nutrient intake for young Americans and caregivers through a health equity lens: The DGAC revealed during a wide-ranging meeting May 10 that it will prioritize eating patterns during pr egnancy, childhood and adolescence as well as review the dietary reference intakes for macronutrients and energy.
Based on the annual International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food & Health survey, consumer familiarity with the DGA has grown significantly over the last 15 years, “with three times as many Americans now saying they know a lot about the Dietary Guidelines and nearly twice as many saying they know a fair amount,” Kris Sollid, senior director, research and consumer insights, IFIC, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Despite consumers’ awareness of the guidelines, “very few Americans actually follow” them, Sollid said.
“We have to make it easier for Americans to take action if we want to take the next step beyond familiarity with the guidelines to implementation.”
Health equity framework recommends increased consumption of plant-based whole foods and proteins
The DGAC created the Health Equity Working Group Subcommittee for the first time since the committee’s inception in 1983 to accommodate the health and nutrition needs of a more diverse US population. The subcommittee’s findings considered disparities across socioeconomic groups, race, ethnicity and culture, recognizing the significantly higher prevalence of nutrition-related chronic health conditions in underserved communities.
Further, DGAC created a dietary pattern for American Indian and Alaska Native groups that takes into account integral foods to include in the dietary guidelines and federal programs.
Health advocates and industry experts praised the DGAC’s health equity framework, which recommends increased consumption of plant-based whole foods like vegetables, fruits and legumes, and proteins like seafood and fish.
“These recommendations consider dietary patterns taking cultural differences into account,” Young said.
DGAC also introduced its Eat Healthy Your Way pattern to be considered as part of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The pattern encourages flexibility, personalization and inclusivity in healthy eating patterns while addressing cultural, regional and individual dietary preferences that still align with overarching nutrition recommendations.
DGAC also recommended decreasing consumption of red and processed meats, saturated fats and added salt and sugar, which are linked to an increased risk of diet-related illness. Rather, DGAC recommends that individuals can replace or substitute processed meat and foods high in these nutrients of concern with plant-based options, including legumes (peas, beans and lentils), grains, vegetables and unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats.
Evidence is unclear on the link between portion size and health outcomes
However, DGAC did not provide recommendations on specific healthy portion sizes, citing a lack of evidence, but suggested individuals should choose smaller portions away from home and plan pre-portioned meals at home.
Yet, Young maintained that portion size and a healthy weight are linked.
“Having spent a good part of my career studying portion sizes, it is clear that people eat more when presented with large portions and there is, indeed, a parallel between large portions available in the food supply and rising obesity rates,” she said.
