The New Dietary Guidelines – A Dietitian’s Perspective
The latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is out, and there’s already a lot of chatter about what people should and shouldn’t be eating.
Every five years, the U.S. government releases a new set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and after reading them, I wanted to offer a grounded and supportive perspective on the new dietary guidelines.
A Few Important Things to Know About the Dietary Guidelines
The guidelines are prepared by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Independent expert committee members are nominated to review the latest science, develop a draft and translate it into a public-facing guide. Final approval is given by the Secretaries of USDA and HHS.
On the surface, that sounds reasonable. But it’s also important to acknowledge the advisory scientists involved this time around have known industry ties, meaning they could stand to profit if people change their habits. That is not how unbiased science is supposed to work. These guidelines deserve serious critique and questioning.
That doesn’t automatically invalidate the guidelines, but it does mean they deserve careful critique. Nutrition guidance should be rooted in unbiased science, not influenced by profit.
Another concern is the assumption that everyone has the same access to food. The announcement video on realfood.org suggests changes to the food system are in the works. If that means giving everyone real access to all foods, I’m on board. But I’m skeptical - this is the same administration that cut funds to SNAP and other food assistance programs.
The guidelines also assume everyone has the same food preferences. The US is culturally diverse, yet this is not reflected in the recommendations.
A one-size-fits-all approach rarely serves anyone well.
Guilt and Shame Are Not Health Strategies
One of my biggest concerns with the new guidelines is the tone - they have a common theme of stricter, harsher language about what the guidelines do and do not recommend.
This can fuel guilt and shame around food choices.
Shame and guilt are not effective motivators. Back when the country declared the “war on obesity,” guilt and shame did not make people healthier. It led to more disordered eating, body shame, and guilt.
The language feels stricter and more rigid, especially around what foods should be limited or avoided.
A reminder that feels important to say out loud: Foods differ in nutritional value, but not in moral value.
Your worth is not defined by what you eat. Your body is not something that needs fixing. You deserve care, flexibility, and compassion.
The use of the word “real food” is also problematic. Unless you are eating non-food items like paper or clay, your food is real. What matters is how it makes you feel, how it fuels your day, and how it impacts your health.
Breaking Down the Specific Recommendations from the New Dietary Guidelines
Protein recommendations
The guidelines recommend 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, up from 0.8 grams previously. Counting macros is rarely helpful because your needs change with life stage, activity level, and metabolism. Numbers can guide, but your intuition is your most individualized tool.
They also encourage more animal protein. I follow an all-foods-fit approach and so I do not recommend eliminating animal protein, but lean, plant-based proteins are protective for heart health, and yes, meat producers had influence on these recommendations.
Fruits and Vegetables
The emphasis on fruits and vegetables isn’t new, and nutritionally, it makes sense. My concern is the framing. When guidance turns into pressure or perfectionism, it can lead to guilt rather than nourishment.
Eating fruits and vegetables doesn’t need to be all-or-nothing. Health is built through consistency and flexibility, not rigid rules.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are encouraged, which aligns with their nutrient content. That said, refined grains are not nutritionally empty and do not need to be eliminated.
When food choices are framed as good or bad, people often internalize that message. This is more language that risks moralizing food choices.
This can create unnecessary shame around eating foods that are familiar, accessible, or culturally meaningful.
Dairy Products in our Diet
The shift toward recommending whole milk is a one-size-fits-all suggestion that does not reflect individual tolerances, cultural practices, or personal needs.
That’s not realistic. Some people feel better with lower-fat dairy, some choose plant-based alternatives, and some avoid dairy altogether.
Nutrition should be individualized. You get to choose what works best for your body.
Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods
The new guidelines place a stronger emphasis on limiting what they call ultra-processed foods, linking them to increased risk for chronic disease and encouraging people to choose more minimally processed options when possible.
Processed and ultra-processed foods are not well-defined in these guidelines. Even something as simple as cutting an apple in half technically makes it processed, and while clearly that is not what the guidelines are warning people against, the problem is that once foods become more complex, the lines get blurry fast.
Is yogurt with added fruit processed?
What about bread made with a few preservatives so it does not go stale in two days?
What about a granola bar that helps someone get through a long workday when they do not have access to a full meal?
These labels and categories sound simple, but real-life food choices are not. When guidance is vague, people often fill in the gaps with fear and restriction rather than clarity.
Added Sugars
The updated guidelines double down on limiting added sugars, continuing to recommend keeping them under ten percent of daily calories and framing reduction as a key strategy for improving health.
And while it is true that we do not need added sugar, restricting it rarely works.
The more something is forbidden, the more we obsess over it and the more attention and power it holds. This is especially true for people with a history of dieting or disordered eating.
For more on this, check out my blog post on Habituation and why restriction increases food obsession.
These guidelines influence more than individual choices.
They also influence things like school lunches, which should not be dictated by lobbyists.
It’s not that previous guidelines were perfect. But these new ones move us further away from equitable, whole-person health, favoring industry influence and risking more shame around eating.
When recommendations are overly rigid or influenced by industry interests, they risk increasing food anxiety and disordered eating, especially for children and teens.
Health is not built through fear, guilt, or perfection. It’s built through access, support, and trust.
My recommendation:
Support Beyond the Dietary Guidelines
If reading the new dietary guidelines has left you feeling confused, pressured, or worried about your eating or your child’s relationship with food, you don’t have to sort it out on your own.
I offer weight-inclusive nutrition counseling for children, teens, and adults, with in-person sessions available in Chelmsford, MA and virtual sessions in MA, NH, MT, OR, TX, CO, and CA. Insurance is accepted.
My work focuses on helping people reduce guilt around food, support eating disorder recovery, and build a more flexible, sustainable relationship with eating.
If you’d like support or have questions, you’re welcome to schedule a consultation or reach out through my contact page.
