The federal government on Tuesday issued new dietary guidelines that keep current sugar and alcohol quotas up to date, rejecting the recommendations of its scientific advisory committee to make significant cuts.
The Scientific Committee, which consisted of 20 academics and doctors, recommended lowering the limit for sugars added to the diet to 6% of daily calories from 10% in current guidelines, citing rising obesity rates and the link between obesity and health problems. such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The committee also recommended lowering the limit for alcoholic beverages for men to one drink a day from two, in line with the guidelines for women. This indicated research linking higher alcohol consumption to a higher risk of death.
The new guidelines include the recommendation of the Scientific Committee that children under the age of 2 do not consume added sugars at all. This is the first time the guidelines include recommendations for babies and young children. The added sugars are those found in processed foods – anything from soda to breakfast cereals – as well as honey and sugar itself. They do not include sugars that are found naturally in foods such as fruits and milk.
The dietary guidelines, which are updated every five years, have a broad impact: they shape school lunch programs, form efforts to promote state and local health, and influence what food companies produce.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services reviewed the committee’s recommendations, which were released in July, and decided not to include the lower limits because “new evidence is not substantial enough to support changes in quantitative recommendations for added sugars or alcohol. “Said Brandon Lipps, USDA’s Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. Mr Lipps said the new limits recommended by the scientific committee did not meet the standard of “preponderance of evidence” required by law.
Food industry groups have strongly lobbied against the new limits proposed by the scientific committee. When asked if business group pressure played a role in the government’s decision, Mr Lipps said “to the extent that stakeholders provided information on whether science had been properly reviewed, we took this into account. ”And mentioned that the government received over 106,000 comments from the public. “We are committed to issuing sound science-based guidelines in an open and transparent process. We think that at the end of the day, that’s what we did, “he said.
The American Beverage Association, which represents beverage producers, including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, has urged the government to keep the 10% limit on added sugars during a public meeting in August. In response to the new guidelines, Katherine Lugar, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, “American beverage companies appreciate the common sense approach of the USDA.”
The alcohol industry also praised the government’s decision, with a Beer Institute spokesman praising “maintaining the long-term definition of moderate alcohol consumption”.
Elizabeth J. Mayer-Davis, who chaired the federal committee’s beverage and sugar subcommittee, said she was “disappointed that the dietary guidelines did not adopt the 6% recommendation” as a limit for added sugars. “I think it’s a missed opportunity for a stronger public health message,” said 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 Cancer Research Institute, said the government’s move not to lower the alcohol limit for men “is very disappointing. The evidence for cancer is so overwhelming. Dr. Brockton said alcohol consumption increases the risk of several cancers – including stomach, liver, colorectal and esophageal cancers – which are more common in men than women.
Poor diet is linked to rising rates of obesity and chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes. More than 70 percent of American adults over the age of 20 are overweight or obese, according to 2015-2016 figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disease Prevention. About 42% are obese, according to CDC 2017-2018 data.
In general, the new dietary guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommend that people “follow a healthy diet” that consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat poultry and dairy products, as well as seafood, nuts and vegetable oils. They also recommend limiting added sugars, saturated fats, sodium and alcoholic beverages and staying within the recommended calorie limits.
USDA and HHS are launching a public awareness campaign on the new guidelines centered around the “Take every Bite” slogan. “Our goal is to get Americans to make healthy dietary choices every day at every meal,” Mr. Lipps said. USDA is also launching a new MyPlate.gov website, which will include a test to show people how closely they adhere to their eating habits and dietary guidelines, as well as tools for getting personalized eating recommendations, recipes for healthy meals and tips for eating on a budget.
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