USDA Updates Dietary Guidelines

On Jan. 31, USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government’s nutritional guidance that seeks to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obese U.S. citizens.

“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese, and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country.”

The new guidelines encourage Americans to consume more healthful foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars and refined grains, according to USDA.
More consumer-friendly advice and tools, including a new Food Pyramid, will be released by USDA and HHS in the coming months. One of the key tips to be provided: “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.”

Industry groups like United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA) cheered that message.

“(The) announcement is a huge step toward encouraging healthier eating habits across the country, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Lorelei DiSogra, UFPA’s vice president of nutrition and health. “By making an overarching recommendation like ‘half a plate,’ the 2010 DGA provides clearer guidance to Americans that, no matter what their age or calorie intake requirement, everyone needs to strive to have fruits and vegetables make up half of what they eat at each meal. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines really put fruits and vegetables front and center as a critical step toward creating a healthier America.”

The guidelines are updated every five years to reflect new nutrition science related to health promotion and disease prevention. The 2010 version also emphasizes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially dark green, red and orange vegetables, according to UFPA.
The new recommendations add to the impact of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed into law late last year, as well as the recently published proposed rule to improve school meals, which calls for doubling the amount of fruits and vegetables served in school meals and provides an increase in the federal reimbursement rate tied to serving healthier foods, according to UFPA.

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association also praised the new federal guidelines. According to an FFVA press release: “The guidelines recommend making half our plate vegetables and fruits – an easy way to incorporate more healthy produce into our diets. Replacing unhealthy foods with more daily servings of vegetables and fruit is key in improving health.”

For more information, visit www.dietaryguidelines.gov.