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The Trump administration unveiled new U.S. dietary guidelines on Wednesday (January 7), advocating for increased consumption of protein and full-fat dairy while advising Americans to reduce intake of ultra-processed foods and added sugars. These guidelines, updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments, align with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, although they fall short of some experts' expectations for more radical changes.
The guidelines emphasize eating whole foods, including fresh vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products, while urging consumers to avoid highly processed foods like chips and candy. The guidelines suggest limiting saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of daily calories, recommending whole-food sources like meat and avocados.
The new guidelines also propose increasing protein intake to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a 150-pound person, this translates to 81.6 to 109 grams of protein daily. The guidelines recommend three servings of full-fat dairy per day for a 2,000-calorie diet.
The guidelines will influence federal nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, which feeds nearly 30 million children daily. The Agriculture Department will develop specific requirements for school meals based on these recommendations, a process that could take years.