The federal government released its new dietary guidelines this week under the slogan “make every bite count” – but some experts have expressed concern that the new recommendations do not address Americans’ increasing consumption of sugar and alcohol.
The guidelines disregarded the recommendations of the Nutrition Coalition (TNC) – a group of experts appointed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. This summer, TNC suggested that the daily intake of sugar added by Americans be reduced from 10% of daily calories to 6% and that the daily intake of alcohol be reduced to one drink per day for men (the existing recommendation for women) . “Less than 6 percent of the energy in added sugars is more consistent with a nutritionally adequate dietary pattern, avoiding excessive energy consumption,” wrote the committee.
The average American consumes 57 pounds of added sugar per year and 2.3 gallons of alcohol, which are believed to contribute to chronic illnesses. To help unravel what the new recommendations may have failed, Yahoo Life spoke to New York-based nutritionist Natalie Rizzo.
Yahoo Life: What is the purpose of these guidelines and how do they affect Americans?
Natalie Rizzo: Dietary guidelines use current diet and health science to provide recommendations for choosing foods and drinks that constitute a healthy eating pattern. In other words, it is guidance on what and how much to eat to achieve a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses. Food guidelines are updated every five years and serve as a basis for federal programs, such as SNAP, the [National] School lunch program or MyPlate. It is important to remember that these are “guidelines” for a healthy eating pattern and do not address treatments for individuals with chronic illnesses.
YL: Many expressed disappointment that the federal government ignored the TNC’s recommendations to reduce the recommended amount of sugar and alcohol per day. Do you think it was a mistake not to follow TNC’s recommendations?
NR: A scientific advisory board has recommended reducing added sugars and alcohol for a reason. More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, which is associated with an increased risk of developing serious illnesses, such as COVID-19. In addition, science is leaning towards the fact that drinking more alcohol can increase the risk of death. Taking these two factors into account, it is understandable that experts wished to reduce the recommendations for adding sugar and alcohol. I really think that Americans could benefit from reducing added sugar and alcohol, and it wouldn’t hurt to make these recommendations.
YL: What are the benefits of reducing your sugar and / or alcohol intake?
NR: both added sugar and alcohol contribute to excess calories in the diet and can increase the likelihood of overweight or obesity. I think Americans should limit their intake of both … especially if they have a history of overweight or obesity or have chronic illnesses.
YL: The guidelines have also been criticized for ignoring things like food insecurity and chronic illnesses. Do you consider this a problem?
NR: Food insecurity is a growing trend in this country, especially during the COVID pandemic. I think it is a mistake not to even mention that in the dietary guidelines. They cover important issues such as pregnant and lactating women, older adults, children and adolescents and adult nutrition. It is worth adding a section on food insecurity. With regard to chronic illnesses, I find it very difficult to include all the chronic illnesses that Americans face, but it may be worth noting the major ones, such as heart disease, obesity and cancer. Nutritional recommendations for people with chronic illnesses are more individualized, based on the person’s overall health and lifestyle. For this reason, I can see why they did not want to make general recommendations.
YL: What do you want Americans to know about food and health?
NR: I think dietary guidelines are a useful tool for 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 close a diet is in line with dietary guidelines. Research shows that higher HEI scores can improve Americans’ health.
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