Here’s What The Newest Dietary Guidelines Say

The federal government has been revisiting the well-known food and nutrition pyramid to reestablish new dietary guidelines. Earlier this year, it released a holistic guide and an updated food pyramid, with an emphasis on bringing “real food” back to the plates of Americans. This new pyramid, established as the 2025-2030 guidelines for Americans, has a top heavy with proteins, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits, and a slim bottom consisting of whole grains. As U.S. DHHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins explain in the memo, “The United States is amid a health emergency. Nearly 90% of health care spending goes to treating people who have chronic diseases. Many of these illnesses are not genetic destiny; they are the predictable result of the Standard American Diet—a diet which, over time, has become reliant on highly processed foods and coupled with a sedentary lifestyle.”

Indeed, numerous studies have found that Americans have significantly increased their consumption of fast and ultra-processed foods over the past few decades. A 2021 NYU study found that over a 16 year period, ultra-processed food consumption significantly increased, while the consumption of whole foods decreased. In fact, many consumer reports also indicate that these foods are often marketed as an attractive and safe alternative to whole foods by manufacturers, touting high nutritional value or ease and convenience. Specifically, they often target consumers with the allure of “easy to prepare” or quick and stress-free meals. As global work-culture has become increasingly pursuant of long work hours and stress, these quick-fix alternatives are often an attractive solution for busy individuals.

As the new guidelines indicate, “the consequences have been devastating. More than 70% of American adults are overweight or obese. Nearly one in three American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 has prediabetes. Diet-driven chronic disease now disqualifies large numbers of young Americans from military service, undermining national readiness and cutting off a historic pathway to opportunity and upward mobility.”

In fact, the Obesity Medicine Association stated in 2024 that obesity affects nearly one in three adults and one in six children in America, and accounts for nearly $173 billion in healthcare costs and spend annually. Similarly, the NIHCM Foundation reports that nearly 6 out of 10 Americans live with at least 1 chronic disease, and that chronic disease is the leading cause of illness, death and disability in the United States.

So why is all of this important for individuals, and what can be done?

Individuals must start prioritizing proactive approaches to improving their health rather than seeking reactive care. Small changes like less consumption of processed foods and more consumption of whole foods, lifestyle modifications to increase activity and exercise, and pursuing generally healthier ways of living are proactive measures to reduce the risk of future health problems and disease. Although these changes are not easy, especially given the wide prevalence and available choices in diet, slow and concentrated efforts can have huge long term effects.