Some Markers of Health Risk Have Worsened Since The Debut of The Dietary Guidelines
- Obesity has increased significantly in both adults and children since the 1980s. In 1980, only about 15% of adults in the U.S. were obese, compared to 42% in 2020. In children, the corresponding numbers have risen from around 7% to 19%.
- Type II diabetes has increased since the 1980s from about 5.5 million Americans to more than 37 million.
- High blood pressure has also increased since the 1980s from about 18% of U.S. adults to roughly 47%.
Health Shouldn’t Be Political
- The dietary guidelines provide general advice to all Americans, which doesn’t account for individual differences. Ultimately, people are in charge of their own health.
- The Dietary Guidelines are increasingly influenced by green activists who want Americans to shift to a plant-based diet. That’s not only unrealistic, it’s bad advice as animal proteins are a good and affordable source of important nutrients like Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and certain amino acids.
Nutrition Should Be Tailored To The Individual
- Nutrition is dynamic and confusing, and the government’s constant flip-flopping on the guidance and fear-mongering of certain consumables (like eggs, meat, and alcohol) doesn’t help.
- The human body is complicated. Genetics play a big role in health. The Dietary Guidelines simply can’t provide individualized guidance that accounts for different needs.
- Today, consumers can figure out the diet that’s best for them using a variety of sources. It’s time to do away with government dietary guidelines for good.
Click HERE to read the policy focus and learn more about the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.