The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans provide
science-based recommendations on food and nutrition so people can make
decisions that may help keep their weight under control and prevent chronic
conditions, like type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. The newly
released guidelines recognize the importance of not focusing on individual
nutrients or foods in isolation but on healthy eating patterns as a whole to
bring about lasting improvements in individual and population health.
There are five overarching guidelines:
- Follow a healthy eating pattern
across the lifespan.
- Focus on variety, nutrient
density and amount.
- Limit calories from added
sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake.
- Shift to healthier food and
beverage choices.
- Support healthy eating patterns
for all.
People should be encouraged to:
- Eat a variety of fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean protein and healthy oils
- Consume less than 10% percent
of calories per day from added sugars
- Consume less than 10% of
calories from saturated fat
- Limit sodium to 2,300
milligrams per day or less for people over age 14 and less for those
younger
To learn more about the new Dietary Guidelines and how to use
them go to www.dietaryguidelines.gov
