Overview

By: Lisa Homiak

 Creating

each edition of the Dietary

Guidelines is a joint effort of HHS and USDA.
A new edition is published every 5 years to
reflect advancements in scientific knowledge
and translate the science current at the time
into sound food-based guidance to promote
health in the United States.
Designed by and for professionals to help all
individuals ages 2 years and older and their
families consume a healthy, nutritionally
adequate diet.

 Key

Element #1 Follow a healthy eating

pattern across the lifespan.
Appropriate

calorie level
All food and beverage choices matter
Healthy body weight
Nutrition adequacy
Reduce risk of chronic disease
Eating patterns consist of multiple, interacting
food components and the relationships to health
exist for the overall eating pattern, not
necessarily to an isolated aspect of the diet.

 Variety of vegetables from

2 cup-equivalents per day

all subgroups

Fruits, especially whole

2 cup-equivalents per day
Grains, at least half are whole
6 ounce-equivalents per day
Fat-free or low-fat dairy
2-3 cup-equivalents per day based on age
Variety of protein foods
5 ounce-equivalents per day
This includes at least 8 oz of seafood per week
Oils (MUFA & PUFA only)
27 g (5 tsp) per day

 Strong

evidence supports: lower intakes of

meats and processed meats or poultry are
associated with reduced risk of CVD.
Moderate evidence supports: these eating
patterns are with reduced risk of obesity,
T2DM, and some types of cancer.
Lean meats and poultry contain per 3.5 oz:
<10

g fat,
< 4.5 g saturated fat
< 95 mg of cholesterol

1 ounce-equivalent = 16 g whole grains

8 g whole grains per ounce = at least half is
whole grains
Choose 100% whole-grain foods
The whole grain should be the first
ingredient, or second ingredient after water
Experiment with different grains such as
buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa, whole rye
or barley.
3 cups of whole-grain, air-popped popcorn
contains 3.5 g of fiber and only 95 kcals

 Key

Element #2 - Focus on variety, nutrient

density, and amount.
Meet

nutrient needs within calorie limits:

Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods
Foods across and within all food groups
Recommended amounts

 Key

Element #3 Limit calories from added

sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium
intake (another component of healthy eating
pattern).
Cut

back on foods and beverages higher in these

components:
Consume < 10% kcals/day from added sugars
Consume < 10% kcals/day from saturated fats
Consume < 2,300 mg/day of sodium (1 tsp)

 Incorporating

seafood as the protein foods

choice in meals 2 times per week (4 oz
portions) in place of meat, poultry, or eggs.
Using legumes or nuts and seeds in mixed
dishes instead of some meat or poultry.
Choosing 93% lean/7% fat ground beef
instead of 80% lean/20% fat.
Choosing the leanest cuts of pork (loin,
tenderloin)
Choosing the leanest cuts of beef (top round,
bottom round and roasts).

 Key

Element #4 - Shift to healthier food and

beverage choices.
Choose

nutrient dense foods and beverages

across and within all food groups in place of less
healthy choices

 Soda

Pop 150 kcals in 12 oz can, 39 g sugar!

Sweetened Iced Tea 90 kcals per 8 oz
Lemonade - 150 kcals in 12 oz can
Juice Smoothies 210 kcals per 16 oz
Frappuccino 180 kcals per 9.5 oz
SHIFT

to homemade flavored water: 0 kcals

Try club soda flavored with: fresh cucumber
slices, lemon slices, strawberry slices,
pineapple chunks, orange slices

 Key

Element #5 Support healthy eating

patterns for all.
Everyone

has a role in helping to create and

support healthy eating patterns in multiple
settings nationwide
Home
School
Work
Communities

 Physical

Activity Guidelines for Americans

for all ages to help promote health:
Children
Adolescents
Adults

If

alcohol is consumed, it should be

consumed in moderation:
Up

to one drink per day for women

Up to two drinks per day for men
Only by adults of legal drinking age

 This

edition of the Dietary Guidelines focuses

on shifts to emphasize the need to make
substitutions
Choosing

nutrient-dense foods and beverages in

place of less healthy choices rather than
increasing overall intake

 High

Calorie Snack: Chips & Dip

Nutrient-Dense Snack: Carrots & Hummus
Added

Sugars: Fruit Juice

Natural Sugars: Fruit
Refined

Grains: White Bread or Rice

Whole Grains: Wheat Bread, Brown Rice
Limit

screen time

 PB2

is a protein
powder that has only
45 calories and 1.5 g
fat in 2 tbsp - very
little compared
to eating regular
peanut butter. It can
be added to shakes,
yogurt, oatmeal, etc.

 The

Key Recommendation from the 2010

Dietary Guidelines to limit consumption of
dietary cholesterol to 300 mg/day is not
included in the 2015 edition.
This change does not suggest that dietary
cholesterol is no longer important to consider
when building healthy eating patterns.

few foods, notably egg yolks and some

shellfish, are higher in dietary cholesterol
but not saturated fats.
Eggs and shellfish can be consumed along
with a variety of other protein choices.

 Thank

you!
Questions?

 U.S.

Department of Health and Human

Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2015 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
8th Edition. December 2015. Available at
http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/
guidelines.