The latest U.S. federal government dietary guidelines have come out and there are some surprising omissions. While the guidelines continue to emphasize the value of a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, they do not recommend that American men substantially reduce alcohol, contrary to advice provided by external experts commissioned by the government earlier this year. .
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years and are intended to reflect the current scientific consensus on nutrition. While obviously only recommendations, they shape federal nutrition-focused policies and programs, such as school meals, and also influence the food and catering industry in general.
As part of the upgrade process, the government convenes a group of external advisors to review the latest nutrition research and suggest any changes if necessary. In July, his draft report was released. Among other things, the group called for a clear change in the amount of alcohol men should drink. They called for guidelines to recommend that men not drink more than one alcoholic drink a day on the days they drank, compared to the previous limit of 2 drinks a day. It is recommended that women, as before, also drink one drink a day. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to have a drink every day, just that you have to limit yourself to one the days you drink (which I hope not every day).
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This change wanted to recognize the growing research that shows that even light alcohol consumption is not as safe as previously thought and encouraged Americans to reduce beverage consumption if possible, said the authors of the report at that time. Alcohol contributes to fatal vehicle accidents, increases the risk of cancer, liver and heart disease, and can affect cognition.
The final version of the guidelines, released On Tuesday, they include other changes suggested by the group, such as promoting the nutritional benefits of breastfeeding and recommending pregnant women to eat seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. They also contain language that states that “the evidence supports limiting the intake of added sugars and alcoholic beverages to promote health and prevent disease.” But they explicitly do not support the recommended changes to reduce alcohol consumption and added sugars, arguing that “the evidence reviewed since the 2015-2020 edition does not show quantitative changes at this time.”
The dietary guidelines are the result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Human Services and Health. Throughout the current Trump administration, both federal agencies have been accused of erosion by outside scientists and lawmakers. science-based policies as well as silence and punish officials who disagreed with the White House. At least some nutrition experts are not too happy with the language now removed from dietary guidelines.
“Despite repeated claims that the guidelines are science-based, Trump agencies ignored the recommendation of the scientific committee they had appointed and instead returned to the recommendation of the previous guidelines,” said scientist Marion Nestle in nutrition and well-known author, he said the New York Times.
While the new guidelines don’t tell us to limit alcohol, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t reduce it a bit. After all, a major global study conducted in 2018 concluded that there are no safe level of alcohol consumption. At least a quarter of American adults committed last year, while 14 million Americans are believed to have alcohol-related disorders. It is generally estimated that alcohol kills approximately 95,000 Americans a year, making it the second deadliest drug behind tobacco.