Latest news with #MyPlate
Axios
08-07-2025
- Health
- Axios
U.S. dietary guidelines on a collision course with MAHA
The high-stakes effort to set nutrition standards for the food industry and government programs like Head Start is about to get a makeover from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Why it matters: It's an opportunity for Kennedy to exert more leverage over food and beverage companies and the products they make after narrower actions like pressing them to voluntarily eliminate synthetic food dyes. But experts worry Kennedy will short-circuit the evidence-based process behind the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and use the requirements to ban targets of his public health movement, like seed oils or sugary drinks. "The biggest impact he can have on food in America is what's in the dietary guidelines," said Jerold Mande, former deputy undersecretary of agriculture and CEO of Nourish Science. "The industry's worst nightmare [is] that there's substantial changes in the dietary guidelines," Mande said. "I've just recently been in a number of meetings with CEOs of big food companies. They're not looking forward to wholesale changes." State of play: The guidelines are issued every five years and underpin federal nutrition policies. They dictate such basics as what goes into free school lunches and even what soldiers eat. They also influence what doctors and nutritionists tell patients and the content on public-facing tools like the USDA's MyPlate and its predecessor the food pyramid. Kennedy and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have said they're pushing ahead with new recommendations that could be released soon. The expectation is a Make America Healthy Again-inspired revamp would not only call for more of a focus on locally sourced whole foods, but could call for the return of meat with high fat content, whole milk and beef tallow, in the name of healthier alternatives. What we're hearing: Kennedy said he intends to have the guidelines, which can be hundreds of pages long, published in a more consumer-friendly four-page document by August. During a speech at Texas A&M in April, he indicated he'd scrap a scientific report that a panel of nutrition experts issued under the Biden administration in December to guide this year's update. It called for eating less meat and saturated fats, and more fiber-rich legumes, fruits and vegetables. MAHA-aligned nutritionists suggest existing guidelines downplay nutritional inadequacies and mistakenly stress the health benefits of beans, peas and lentils over animal products. "There are myriad problems with an approach that oversimplifies nutrition science — not the least of which is that lawmakers can't make sound policy off of a short high-level overview," a food industry executive told Axios, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the deliberations. Experts point to a number of areas Kennedy could change: Saturated fats: The Dietary Guidelines have long recommended limiting saturated fat consumption to less than 10% of daily calories to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, said Jessi Silverman, a dietician at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The organization fears Kennedy will instead promote disputed ideas about the benefits of beef tallow and increased consumption of meat and whole fat dairy products, she said. Additives: While food manufacturers defend their ingredients as safe, experts have been largely supportive of scrutiny around additives like artificial food dyes. Schools have already been purchasing products without synthetic dyes in response to limits in some states, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association. "The colors are a no-brainer because there's enough question about their safety that they really shouldn't be there. Just get rid of them," said Marion Nestle, emerita professor of nutrition at New York University. Ultra-processed foods: Another area of focus is ultra-processed foods and their role contributing to obesity. But the science is more complicated than it may seem, Silverman said. "Ultra-processed as a category includes so many different foods that have a variety of different nutritional profiles," she noted, adding it's not yet clear what about ultra-processed foods is driving this correlation. School meals are already the most regulated in the country, with districts stretched to meet limits for calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Upending those goals without a corresponding increase in funding would be an enormous challenge, she said. Alcohol: Specific recommendations to limit consumption to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men are expected to be eliminated from the guidelines, Reuters reported. Reality check: Studies show the vast majority of Americans' diets (86%) don't meet to the U.S. dietary guidelines, Mande pointed out. So far, Kennedy has avoided mandating changes, raising questions about how willing he is to lower the hammer on the food industry. The bottom line: The dietary guidelines are inherently a political document and both Kennedy and Rollins aren't legally obligated to follow expert advice.
Qatar Tribune
15-05-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
QU campaign promotes nutrition awareness among schoolchildren
Tribune News Network Doha The Department of Nutrition Sciences (DNS) at the College of Health Sciences (CHS), part of QU Health at Qatar University (QU), continues the success of its Smart Start campaign. This time reaching young learners at Lycée Voltaire School—West Bay, the ongoing nutrition education initiative aims to promote healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle among primary school students across Qatar. Smart Start addresses the growing concern over childhood obesity and long-term health risks by equipping children with the knowledge and skills needed to make better food and lifestyle choices. The programme reflects Qatar Vision 2030 by investing in early prevention and fostering a culture of health and well-being. At Lycée Voltaire, over 100 enthusiastic Grade 3 students participated in interactive activities led by QU's nutrition and dietetics students. The sessions focused on key areas such as recognising food groups through the MyPlate model, understanding the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, and creating nutritious lunchboxes. Children also engaged in physical games that emphasised the importance of daily movement for growth and development. 'The children were highly engaged and eager to participate,' said Aljazi, lecturer in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at QU and Smart Start coordinator. 'We value our collaboration with schools like Lycée Voltaire, who open their doors to innovative, educational health outreach programmes like ours.' The Smart Start programme continues to grow its footprint throughout Qatar, empowering schoolchildren to take ownership of their health from a young age. Dr. Maya Bassil, head of the Department of Nutrition Sciences at QU, stated, 'Our campaign continues to highlight the value of prevention. By reaching children early, we aim to nurture a future generation that embraces nutritious food and active living.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Opinion - US dietary guidelines have made us ill — let's change them already
Our nation's top health officials are sounding the alarm on federal nutrition policy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary both recently criticized the government's longstanding dietary advice — particularly the USDA 'Food Pyramid,' now called MyPlate — for failing to promote better health in America. 'We have let the industry tell us as a government what's healthy and what's not healthy,' Dr. Makary warned in a recent interview, calling for an overhaul of the pyramid. They're right to be concerned. Rates of diet-related diseases — including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and iron-deficiency anemia — continue to rise. Anemia alone affects 10 million Americans, causing symptoms like chest pain, headaches, and fatigue. Left untreated, it can lead to serious heart problems, premature births, and stunted growth in infants and children. Given the stakes, adequate nutrition should become the new cornerstone of national dietary policy. MyPlate, the visual representation of the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans, shapes everything from school lunch programs and hospital meals to broader federal health initiatives. Yet the government's recommended dietary patterns continue to fall short. According to the 2025 guidelines' own expert report, a person following these recommendations to the letter will still not meet adequacy goals for iron, vitamin D, choline, and folate — nutrients crucial for brain development, bone health, and the prevention of birth defects, among other vital functions. The responsibility now lies with the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to make a final decision on the expert report's findings and develop the official 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, which are due out this year. With widespread nutrient inadequacies affecting population health, it is crucial that the new guidelines effectively address nutritional needs. The nutritional status of adolescent girls illustrates these concerns. Nearly 40 percent of females between the ages of 12 and 21 years are iron deficient. More than 6 percent are so low in iron that they develop anemia — meaning they don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around their bodies. This represents a significant public health challenge during a critical period of growth and development. The nutritional challenges extend to bone health. By the expert report's measure, among girls aged 14 to 18 years: 68 percent fall below adequacy for calcium, 89 percent for magnesium, more than 97 percent for vitamin D, and 23 percent for protein. These deficits during adolescence — a critical period for bone development — help explain why approximately half of women aged 50 or older will experience a broken bone resulting from osteoporosis. Pregnancy and lactation amplify these challenges. Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can jeopardize the health of mother and baby, in extreme cases leading to complications such as developmental delays and neurological damage. Iron remains a public health concern for pregnant women, critical for oxygen transport and fetal brain development. Similarly, iodine, vital for producing maternal and fetal thyroid hormones, is often overlooked in dietary recommendations. The expert committees behind the guidelines' scientific reports have previously acknowledged these nutrient gaps and their public health significance. But little action has been taken. The current report continues to reflect similar nutrient gaps in its recommendations. For instance, the committee recommends that Americans consume three servings of refined grains per day — not because they're healthy, but because they're enriched with added nutrients. Without these enriched foods, the recommended diet would be even less adequate in essential nutrients. Enriched grains were a reasonable priority when introduced in the 1940s. In the previous three decades, nutrition scientists had successfully identified the vitamins and minerals needed to sustain human growth and good health. Although these experts identified milk, eggs, butter, organ meats, and green leafy vegetables as nutrient-dense 'protective' foods, the government opted instead to deliver vitamins and minerals to people by adding nutrients to refined grains. After all, wartime rationing was in effect, and after the war grains were still cheaper. This policy got a boost in the mid-20th century when nutritionists started focusing on the threats of heart disease and cancer, and determined that the consumption of animal foods, laden with saturated fat and cholesterol, should be reduced. Meat, poultry, and eggs — some of the more nutrient-rich fare available — were villainized. The fallout from stigmatizing nourishing foods is that basic nutrition has been imperiled. For example, it takes more than 4,000 calories of unenriched refined grains to get the same amount of essential nutrients that can be obtained by eating less than 300 calories of beef or eggs. You would have to eat twice as many calories of even quinoa as of beef or eggs to provide comparable micronutrient value. Many nutrients from animal foods are more easily absorbed than those in plants or enriched refined grains. Additionally, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds can contain high levels of a compound called phytate, which hinders the body's absorption of iron, zinc, and calcium. Yet the guidelines' scientific report stresses the health benefits of beans, peas, and lentils over animal products and overlooks issues of nutrient absorption and adequacy. Remarkably, the current report moved its own goalposts in a way that downplays current nutrient inadequacies. Before this year, it used a benchmark called the 'Recommended Dietary Allowance,' which represents the daily intake required to meet the nutritional needs of about 98 percent of all healthy individuals. The new report instead adopted the Estimated Average Requirement, a benchmark representing the needs of just half of healthy individuals. In other words, if everyone met the new benchmark, half the population would still face vitamin and mineral inadequacies. This problematic shift in assessment criteria is not explained in the report. These methodological decisions raise important questions. What is the rationale for changing from the Recommended Dietary Allowance to a lower-nutrient standard? How does the continued emphasis on refined grains align with goals for optimal nutrition? Moving forward, we need to put nutrition back into our nutrition policy. The upcoming guidelines should prioritize nutrient sufficiency to support pregnant women, growing children, and optimal health for all. Nina Teicholz, Ph.D., is a science journalist and author. Ty Beal, Ph.D., is head of food systems data and analytics at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
02-05-2025
- Health
- The Hill
US dietary guidelines have made us ill — let's change them already
Our nation's top health officials are sounding the alarm on federal nutrition policy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary both recently criticized the government's longstanding dietary advice — particularly the USDA 'Food Pyramid,' now called MyPlate — for failing to promote better health in America. 'We have let the industry tell us as a government what's healthy and what's not healthy,' Dr. Makary warned in a recent interview, calling for an overhaul of the pyramid. They're right to be concerned. Rates of diet-related diseases — including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and iron-deficiency anemia — continue to rise. Anemia alone affects 10 million Americans, causing symptoms like chest pain, headaches, and fatigue. Left untreated, it can lead to serious heart problems, premature births, and stunted growth in infants and children. Given the stakes, adequate nutrition should become the new cornerstone of national dietary policy. MyPlate, the visual representation of the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans, shapes everything from school lunch programs and hospital meals to broader federal health initiatives. Yet the government's recommended dietary patterns continue to fall short. According to the 2025 guidelines' own expert report, a person following these recommendations to the letter will still not meet adequacy goals for iron, vitamin D, choline, and folate — nutrients crucial for brain development, bone health, and the prevention of birth defects, among other vital functions. The responsibility now lies with the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to make a final decision on the expert report's findings and develop the official 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, which are due out this year. With widespread nutrient inadequacies affecting population health, it is crucial that the new guidelines effectively address nutritional needs. The nutritional status of adolescent girls illustrates these concerns. Nearly 40 percent of females between the ages of 12 and 21 years are iron deficient. More than 6 percent are so low in iron that they develop anemia — meaning they don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around their bodies. This represents a significant public health challenge during a critical period of growth and development. The nutritional challenges extend to bone health. By the expert report's measure, among girls aged 14 to 18 years: 68 percent fall below adequacy for calcium, 89 percent for magnesium, more than 97 percent for vitamin D, and 23 percent for protein. These deficits during adolescence — a critical period for bone development — help explain why approximately half of women aged 50 or older will experience a broken bone resulting from osteoporosis. Pregnancy and lactation amplify these challenges. Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can jeopardize the health of mother and baby, in extreme cases leading to complications such as developmental delays and neurological damage. Iron remains a public health concern for pregnant women, critical for oxygen transport and fetal brain development. Similarly, iodine, vital for producing maternal and fetal thyroid hormones, is often overlooked in dietary recommendations. The expert committees behind the guidelines' scientific reports have previously acknowledged these nutrient gaps and their public health significance. But little action has been taken. The current report continues to reflect similar nutrient gaps in its recommendations. For instance, the committee recommends that Americans consume three servings of refined grains per day — not because they're healthy, but because they're enriched with added nutrients. Without these enriched foods, the recommended diet would be even less adequate in essential nutrients. Enriched grains were a reasonable priority when introduced in the 1940s. In the previous three decades, nutrition scientists had successfully identified the vitamins and minerals needed to sustain human growth and good health. Although these experts identified milk, eggs, butter, organ meats, and green leafy vegetables as nutrient-dense 'protective' foods, the government opted instead to deliver vitamins and minerals to people by adding nutrients to refined grains. After all, wartime rationing was in effect, and after the war grains were still cheaper. This policy got a boost in the mid-20th century when nutritionists started focusing on the threats of heart disease and cancer, and determined that the consumption of animal foods, laden with saturated fat and cholesterol, should be reduced. Meat, poultry, and eggs — some of the more nutrient-rich fare available — were villainized. The fallout from stigmatizing nourishing foods is that basic nutrition has been imperiled. For example, it takes more than 4,000 calories of unenriched refined grains to get the same amount of essential nutrients that can be obtained by eating less than 300 calories of beef or eggs. You would have to eat twice as many calories of even quinoa as of beef or eggs to provide comparable micronutrient value. Many nutrients from animal foods are more easily absorbed than those in plants or enriched refined grains. Additionally, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds can contain high levels of a compound called phytate, which hinders the body's absorption of iron, zinc, and calcium. Yet the guidelines' scientific report stresses the health benefits of beans, peas, and lentils over animal products and overlooks issues of nutrient absorption and adequacy. Remarkably, the current report moved its own goalposts in a way that downplays current nutrient inadequacies. Before this year, it used a benchmark called the 'Recommended Dietary Allowance,' which represents the daily intake required to meet the nutritional needs of about 98 percent of all healthy individuals. The new report instead adopted the Estimated Average Requirement, a benchmark representing the needs of just half of healthy individuals. In other words, if everyone met the new benchmark, half the population would still face vitamin and mineral inadequacies. This problematic shift in assessment criteria is not explained in the report. These methodological decisions raise important questions. What is the rationale for changing from the Recommended Dietary Allowance to a lower-nutrient standard? How does the continued emphasis on refined grains align with goals for optimal nutrition? Moving forward, we need to put nutrition back into our nutrition policy. The upcoming guidelines should prioritize nutrient sufficiency to support pregnant women, growing children, and optimal health for all. Nina Teicholz, Ph.D., is a science journalist and author. Ty Beal, Ph.D., is head of food systems data and analytics at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
It's 2/22! This 'angel number' day is meant to bring you balance in life — and these 7 tips will help.
If you've ever looked at the clock at 11:11 a.m., or had a coffee total come to $3.33 (because, yes, that is now close to the national average for a cup of coffee) then you've experienced the pleasure of 'angel numbers.' An angel number is a number that repeats (like 000 or 444), and numerologists say that each sequence has some special spiritual significance. As fate would have it, today (Feb. 22, or 2/22) happens to be an angel number day — and it's all about embracing harmony and balance. If you're a believer, take this as a sign from the divine that your life is in need of some symmetry. And if New Agey stuff isn't your thing, consider taking this opportunity to even the scales. Here are seven areas of your life where you could aim for more balance. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 1. Your diet. Yes, it's possible to have too much of a good thing. If you're snacking on blueberries every day but neglecting regular servings of veggies, it may be time to find some balance in your diet. The food pyramid you learned in elementary school is outdated, but you can consult a replacement (e.g., MyPlate, which was introduced in 2011) to see what a balanced meal looks like, and plan your shopping accordingly. 2. Your workout. Balance is literally important — as in, you should be incorporating more balance exercises into your workout, like practicing standing on one leg or doing tai chi. But you should also bolster your exercise regime by combining cardio work with strength training and experimenting with different types of cross-training. These exercises, for example, can complement your walk so that you reap the most benefits. 3. Your job. Finding a good work-life balance is one of the biggest challenges of modern life, especially for moms, and some professions have it worse than others. (Check out which jobs have the best and worst work-life balance.) Still, you can aim for some equilibrium by doing things like silencing work email notifications after a certain time each night, and by using your paid time off. 4. Your relationships. Nurture your relationships (with your partner, friends, parents) while also prioritizing self-care and your own needs. Check in and make sure you aren't carrying the weight of the relationship (Is your partner always the one organizing date nights? Or are you always tailoring conversations to fit your friend's interests?). There will, of course, be times when one of you needs more help or support than the other, but in general a strong bond should be equal parts give and take. 5. Your bank account. This is about more than balancing a checkbook (though that's a good skill too!) Finding symmetry in your spending habits means not being too splurge-happy yet recognizing that it's OK to indulge on occasion. Look for little ways to spend less — but on the flip side of that, recognize that some frugal habits (like saving money by skipping doctors' appointments or trying to do DIY projects that are out of your league) aren't worth the money you save. 6. Your media consumption. We want to stay informed about what's going on in the world, yet too much obsessing over current events can be taxing on our mental health. Check out this guide on how to watch the news without sacrificing your sanity. And this applies to social media use, too; keeping up with friends and your favorite influencers can be fun, but reducing your screen time even a little bit each day is good for your health. 7. Your mental health. Take the good with the bad and accept that both happiness and sadness are a part of life. People in Finland, which is often ranked among the happiest countries in the world, understand that being content with one's life doesn't mean there aren't also low points and periods of grief and heartache. As happiness expert Meik Wiking says: 'Perhaps we need to consider how to turn the idea of the pursuit of happiness into the happiness of the pursuit' — meaning, instead of relentlessly running after things that you think will make you happy, simply enjoy the ride.
