On December 28, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Dietary Guidelines have been published by the USDA and HHS every five years since 1980. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines are the first to include nutritional guidance for babies and toddlers.
The final 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines rejected guidance from the advisory committee’s scientific report with regard to alcohol consumption and sugar intake. The committee had recommended that alcohol consumption guidance be reduced to one drink per day on days when alcohol is consumed. Additionally, the committee had recommended that sugar intake be substantially reduced.
The Dietary Guidelines are designed for policymakers and nutrition and health professionals to help all individuals and their families consume a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet. The information in the Dietary Guidelines is used to develop, implement and evaluate Federal food, nutrition and health policies.