New Dietary Guidelines for Americans: We’re Making Progress!

Integrative Nutrition has been at the forefront of the health revolution for over 20 years. I have long recognized America’s health crisis and have made a great social impact with the help of our students, grads, and allies. I am happy to see that the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) are catching up!

Every 5 years, a Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee with members from the USDA and HHS convenes to submit a report examining any “new scientific evidence” that may “inform revisions to the current guidance or suggest new guidance.” In other words, revisions to the government’s MyPlate guidelines come from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s Scientific Report.

This year’s report recognizes what I have been saying and teaching for years: The United States is facing “major diet-related health problems.” The Committee writes that about 50% (117 million people!) have at least one preventable chronic disease related to “poor quality dietary patterns and physical inactivity.” More than 2/3 of adults and almost 1/3 of children are overweight or obese. The 2015 report also recognizes the “economic and social costs” of the diet-related health problems that we are facing.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it until we have won (and we will win!): Health Coaches are desperately needed, now more than ever. Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches help people to choose whole foods, to find the diet that’s right for them, and to stay accountable in a world where it can be hard to find support for living a healthy lifestyle. 

Over the coming days, I’ll be sharing the findings of the Dietary Guidelines Committee that you need to know to stay well-informed. There will be a few surprises along the way! The tide is turning, slowly but surely. So stay tuned…   

Joshua Rosenthal, Founder, Director, and Primary Teacher of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition shares his wisdom about creating a healthy and happy life that helps transform the world.