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The federal government released its new dietary guidelines this week with the slogan “make every bite count” – but some experts have worried that the new recommendations ignore increasing consumption of sugar and alcohol Americans.
The guidelines ignored advice from the Nutrition Coalition (TNC) – a group of experts appointed by the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. This summer, TNC suggested that Americans’ daily added sugar intake be lowered from 10% of daily calories to 6% and that daily alcohol intake be reduced to one drink per day for men (existing recommendation for men. women). “Less than 6 percent of the energy of added sugars is more consistent with a diet that is nutritionally adequate while avoiding excessive energy intake,” the committee wrote.
The average American consumes 57 pounds of added sugar per year and 2.3 gallons of alcohol, both of which are believed to contribute to chronic disease. To help find out what the new recommendations may have been missing, Yahoo Life spoke with New York-based registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo.
Yahoo Life: What is the purpose of these guidelines and how do they affect Americans?
Natalie Rizzo: The dietary guidelines use current diet and health science to provide recommendations on the choice of foods and beverages that constitute a healthy eating pattern. In other words, it’s a guideline on what and how much to eat to adopt a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Dietary recommendations are updated every five years and serve as the basis for federal programs, such as SNAP, the [National] School meals program or MyPlate. It is important to remember that these are “guidelines” for healthy eating and do not apply to treatments for people with chronic illness.
YL: Many have expressed disappointment that the federal government has ignored TNC’s recommendations to reduce the recommended amount of sugar and alcohol per day. Do you think it was a mistake not to follow the recommendations of the CNC?
NR: A science advisory board recommended cutting back on added sugars and alcohol for a reason. More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, which is associated with a higher risk of developing serious illnesses, like COVID-19. Plus, science leans that drinking more alcohol can increase the risk of death. Taking both of these into account, it’s understandable that the experts wanted to lower the recommendations for added sugar and alcohol. I think Americans could benefit from reducing added sugar and alcohol, and it wouldn’t hurt to make those recommendations.
YL: What are the benefits of reducing sugar and / or alcohol consumption?
NR: Added sugar and alcohol both contribute to excess calories in the diet and can increase the risk of being overweight or obese. I think Americans should limit their intake of these two products … especially if they have a history of overweight, obesity, or chronic illnesses.
YL: The guidelines have also been criticized for ignoring things like food insecurity and chronic disease. Do you see this as a problem?
NR: Food insecurity is a growing trend in this country, especially during the COVID pandemic. I think it’s a misstep not to even address this in the dietary guidelines. They cover important issues, such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, older adults, children and adolescents, and adult nutrition. It would be worth adding a section on food insecurity. When it comes to chronic disease, I think it’s very difficult to include all of the chronic diseases that Americans face, but it might be helpful to note the major ones, like heart disease, obesity, and cancer. . Nutritional recommendations for people with chronic conditions are more individualized, based on the person’s overall health and lifestyle. Because of this, I can understand why they didn’t want to make general recommendations.
YL: What do you want Americans to know about diet and health?
NR: I think dietary guidelines are a useful tool in creating a well-balanced diet. That said, most Americans still don’t follow dietary guidelines. The average American diet scores 59 out of 100 on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), which measures how well a diet meets dietary guidelines. Research shows that higher HEI scores can improve the health of Americans.
For the latest news and updates on the coronavirus, follow to https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those with compromised immune systems continue to be at greatest risk. If you have any questions, please consult the CDC and WHO resource guides.
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