The cornerstone of nutrition guidance in the United States is the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This guide, currently in its 2020-2025 edition, serves as the authoritative source of advice on what Americans should eat and drink to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Developed through a joint effort by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), the Dietary Guidelines are updated every five years, ensuring they reflect the latest nutrition science.
These guidelines are meticulously crafted for professionals, including policymakers, healthcare providers, and nutrition educators, who in turn use them to inform the general public. You can access and download the complete guidelines at DietaryGuidelines.gov.
The Dietary Guidelines offer a flexible framework for healthy eating patterns that can be adapted to individual needs, cultural backgrounds, and personal preferences. Organizations across federal agencies, public health, healthcare, education, and the business sector rely on these guidelines to disseminate accurate and consistent dietary advice.
The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines emphasizes a lifespan approach to healthy eating patterns, catering to all stages of life. Key updates in the 2020-2025 edition include:
- New recommendations for infants and toddlers: Providing crucial guidance for the earliest stages of life.
- Expanded guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women: Recognizing the unique nutritional needs during these periods.
- Updated recommendations for all ages: Ensuring relevant and current advice for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.
For direct access to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, please visit DietaryGuidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials.
To support health professionals in implementing these guidelines, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) offers a comprehensive toolkit. This toolkit includes user-friendly materials designed to help professionals communicate the science-based recommendations to their patients and communities. Additional professional resources are available on DietaryGuidelines.gov in both English and Spanish.
To delve deeper into the development process, the stakeholders involved, and the historical context of the Dietary Guidelines, please visit DietaryGuidelines.gov/about-dietary-guidelines.
It’s important to note that the development of the next edition, the Dietary Guidelines, 2025-2030, is currently under way, ensuring continuous improvement and relevance in national nutrition guidance.
