CAS COMMUNICATIONS: In summary, what is the history and purpose of dietary guidelines provided by the USDA?
HANNAH CUTTING-JONES: The USDA was established in 1862 with a dual mandate of supporting America’s agricultural sector and providing the public with nutritional guidance. The first nutritional guidelines came out in 1894 and since then, the USDA has published new guidelines every few years.
In 1992, after much behind-the-scenes drama, the USDA unveiled the first Food Guide Pyramid. Based on an acceptance of the diet-heart hypothesis linking saturated fat intake and heart disease, the pyramid oversimplified advice and, according to the graphic, recommended Americans consume 6-11 servings of breads and cereals per day and reduce fat intake. This ushered in a low-fat, processed foods hey-day, and rates of NCDs (non-communicable diseases like diabetes and diet-related cancers) continued to rise.
Despite the different graphics since 1992, including the “My Plate” version in 2011, official dietary advice has remained fairly consistent over the decades – eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein every day, limit alcohol consumption and sugar, and keep saturated fat intake below 10% of your daily calories.
The 2026 guidelines, under a bold heading, “Eat Real Food,” still recommend several servings of vegetables per day and limiting saturated fat to 10% of the diet. This recommendation in particular is contradictory, because if you’re eating the recommended servings of red meat and whole-fat dairy, it’s impossible to stay below 10% in saturated fats. Not to mention many nutritionists feel Americans are eating too much protein already and not nearly enough fiber.
