The new food pyramid released with the US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) places animal-based proteins, including cheese and red meats high in saturated fats, above plant-based proteins, raising concerns among health and environmental experts.
This shift aligns with Kennedy’s previous statements indicating he will recommend increasing saturated fat in US diets as part of his “Make America healthy again” movement.
Dr cheryl Anderson, an American Heart Association board member and professor at the University of California San Diego, expressed her anticipation for the new guidelines, noting their delayed release. “They came out much later than they were suppose to. Typically, the guidelines are released within six months of the secretaries receiving the dietary guidelines advisory committee’s report,” which would have meant release over the summer.
Anderson noted positive aspects aligning with the DGA committee’s report, including an emphasis on “real food”, reducing processed foods, and decreasing added sugars. However, she “grew concerned” upon seeing the food pyramid visual, which prominently featured steak and cheese above plant-based proteins like nuts. This visual contradicts the written guidelines regarding saturated fats.
“I think it will be a challenge to keep saturated fat intake within 10% of overall kilocalories. Now, tha
