Just Read: The USDA is opening the door to saturated fats and low-carbohydrate diets for 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines

2018.03.10 USDA Topics and Questions for 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 344
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans development process is under way. Updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a multi-step, multi-year process. Overview: The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) currently are asking for public comments on topics and supporting scientific questions to inform our development of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2018.03.10 USDA Topics and Questions for 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 344 (View on Flickr.com)

There proved to be many, what I called “gaspworthy” moments at Low Carb Breckenridge #LCB18. This is one of those after the fact.

In this release USDA and HHS Announce New Step Toward Added Transparency in Development of 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines | Food and Nutrition Service and related documents, most notably Dietary Guidelines | Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion new questions are under consideration.

2018.03.10 USDA Topics and Questions for 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 344-3
2018.03.10 USDA Topics and Questions for 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 344-3 (View on Flickr.com)

This includes, for the first time:

  • Dietary patterns to promote health, prevent disease, and meet nutrient needs, with the inclusion of low-carbohydrate diets across every life stage
  • What is the relationship between saturated fats consumption (types and amounts) during adulthood and risk of cardiovascular disease?

Given that is now known that the first dietary guidelines proscribing a low-fat diet have no basis in evidence (see: Just Read: Dietary fat guidelines have no evidence base: where next for public health nutritional advice?) this is an important development for 2020-2025, and 40-60 years in the making:

We get by with a help from Canadian colleagues

The development of Canada’s Food Guide has already spurred the summary of evidence by Canadian physicians and allied health providers. This is one of many available, in letter form and in the peer reviewed literature.

United States physicians are not far behind

Based on my recent experience, it’s quite possible the decade of the patient will include a decade of metabolic health sourced from the kitchen, rather than the medicine cabinet. Enjoy the future.

Ted Eytan, MD