WASHINGTON (DTN) -- The Trump administration on Wednesday released the much-anticipated 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans at a White House briefing featuring Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.

At the briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt highlighted that the Trump administration has reversed the food pyramid and put meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables at the top and grains at the bottom.

Kennedy told reporters that the war on saturated fats is over and declared a war on added sugars.

He also pointed out that the new guidelines discourage the consumption of ultraprocessed foods -- officially highly processed foods -- and blamed American corporations and previous administration for encouraging their consumption and contributing to obesity.

Rollins said the new guidelines will be used to rewrite school meal rules and said the new guidelines would change the food that is served to the military, veterans, federal prisoners, in the Head Start program, and what can be purchased through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Rollins also said that USDA will rewrite the "stocking" rule that determines what the more than 250,000 merchants who accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits must have available in their stores to participate in SNAP. Rollins indicated that the new rule would be particularly important for convenience stores that are sometimes the only place that people in poor neighborhoods can buy food.

Kennedy said the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics had helped with the guidelines.

The American Heart Association commended the guidelines for "the emphasis on increasing intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains while limiting consumption of added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods, saturated fats and sugary drinks. We see an important opportunity to educate consumers about the scientific basis for certain recommendations."

But the Heart Association added, "We are concerned that recommendations regarding salt seasoning and red meat consumption could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease. While the guidelines highlight whole-fat dairy, the Heart Association encourages consumption of low-fat and fat-free dairy products, which can be beneficial to heart health."

The Heart Association also said, "Protein is an essential component of a healthy diet, and we urge more scientific research on both the appropriate amount of protein consumption and the best protein sources for optimal health. Pending that research, we encourage consumers to prioritize plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats and to limit high-fat animal products including red meat, butter, lard and tallow, which are linked to increased cardiovascular risk."

Michael Jacobson, founder of the National Food Museum and a founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said, "One shocker? Some of Kennedy's blatant nonsense -- which nutrition experts feared would dominate the Guidelines and confuse the public -- is not included! But another shocker is its powerful endorsement of meat and full-fat dairy products.

He added, "The new guidelines, like all previous editions, emphasize eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables, foods low in added sugars, and whole grains instead of white flour. And it still recommends limiting alcoholic beverages, which cause 178,000 deaths per year, and sodium, which cause as many as 100,000 deaths annually."

Jacobson continued, "One new addition -- and no longer controversial except to food and chemical manufacturers -- is that it strongly discourages eating highly processed foods and foods concocted with dyes, non-caloric sweeteners, preservatives, and artificial flavors."

Mark Kern, a professor of food and nutrition at San Diego State University, said, "The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are an important reminder that rigorous science, evidence-based reasoning, and scientific accuracy need to remain at the forefront of public health. The good intentions of the guidelines cannot compensate for weak evidence, and embedding weak evidence into federal guidance could cause harm that lasts far beyond a single administration."

The School Nutrition Association, which earlier this week warned that reducing the use of ultraprocessed foods would raise the cost of preparing school meals, said today, "Congress has a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of America by investing resources to help schools expand scratch cooking, serve more fresh, local foods and further positive momentum in cafeterias."

The association stated, "SNA looks forward to working with the administration to update school meal standards and provide consistent federal rules that benefit students nationwide."

Meat and dairy groups immediately praised the new guidelines, while nutrition experts expressed concerns.

Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts said, "We are pleased the Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans prioritize protein and that families can get that protein from nutrient dense meat and poultry. Robust scientific evidence demonstrates that meat is a rich source of high-quality protein, essential vitamins, and highly bioavailable minerals that support human health throughout the lifespan."

National Turkey Federation President and CEO Leslee Oden said, "The DGA's emphasis on animal protein as a cornerstone of healthy, balanced dietary patterns aligns with our shared goal of helping American families thrive through practical, affordable and accessible nutrition guidance. As a lean, nutrient-dense protein, turkey is naturally low in fat and rich in high-quality protein, essential amino acids and important vitamins and minerals."

"It's abundantly clear that chicken is a lean and affordable protein that can help all Americans across all stages of life meet the new dietary guidelines," said Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs.

"The new Dietary Guidelines send a clear and powerful message to Americans: Dairy foods belong at the center of a healthy diet," said Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association.

"Recommending the consumption of whole and full-fat dairy products such as whole milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products is an important victory for consumer choice and public health. Americans can now enjoy the wholesome dairy foods that work for their cultural, dietary and lifestyle preferences knowing that they are benefitting from dairy's unique nutrient profile."

National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud said, "NMPF thanks HHS and USDA for recognizing dairy's critical role in a healthy diet in the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as shown by its continued recommendation of three servings of dairy for Americans, its recognition of dairy's benefits at all fat levels, and dairy's prominence in diverse diets."

American Soybean Association President Scott Metzger, an Ohio farmer, said, "ASA appreciates that the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans acknowledge the importance of soy as part of a well-balanced diet, but we remain deeply concerned by the rhetoric and selectively cited studies regarding the health and safety of soybean oil in DGA supporting material."

The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) said it "appreciates the Dietary Guidelines' approach to prioritizing added fats with essential fatty acids."

"Vegetable oils, or 'seed oils' as they're sometimes referred to, are a significant provider of essential fatty acids and remain a safe and cost-effective source of dietary fats in the American diet, as they are globally. Their inclusion reflects the scientific consensus that these oils are a safe and nutritious part of healthy eating patterns without needlessly increasing food prices or limiting consumer choice," NOPA stated.

"However, some appendices rely on a narrow evidence base with limited citations, which is concerning given the administration's rhetoric questioning the safety of certain vegetable oils despite an established scientific consensus," NOPA said.

"Beyond the direct nutritional role, the oilseed value chain also supports the production of affordable meat, dairy, and eggs. The protein ingredients (meal) produced from oilseeds are a key component of livestock diets, allowing farmers and ranchers to deliver cost-effective meat, milk, and eggs to American families. Without strong demand for vegetable oils, these protein ingredients become less available, limiting production and increasing costs across the food system," NOPA said.

POLITICAL REACTION

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., said, "These updates provide easy-to-understand nutritional information for school meals and other federal nutrition programs and helps Americans make healthy, informed choices."

Boozman continued, "I appreciate the work of the Advisory Committee and the efforts of USDA and HHS to develop guidance to improve public health. Ensuring that nutrition recommendations remain balanced, practical and firmly rooted in evidence-based science is critical. Recognizing the role of nutrient-dense foods, including meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, in a well-balanced diet will help us meet our nutritional needs while promoting overall health."

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., said, "The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a step in the right direction, and I applaud Secretary Rollins and Secretary Kennedy for their refocus on real, whole, nutrient-dense foods that fuel our families."

Thompson noted, "I am particularly encouraged to see whole milk and other full-fat dairy products brought back into the recommended diets of Americans, as these wholesome foods play an important role in Making America Healthy Again and have been pushed to the side of nutrition guidelines for too long.

"These new guidelines will empower Americans to choose the healthy foods that work best for them, whether fresh, frozen, dried, or canned. When our Dietary Guidelines emphasize putting wholesome, healthy foods on dinner tables, we all win -- producers and consumers alike," Thompson said.

Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott, D-Va., the ranking member on the House Education and Workforce Committee, said the guidelines "lack specificity and prioritize scoring political points. This continues their disregard for evidence-based public health recommendations. With the Republicans' 'Big Ugly Law' now limiting students' access to nutritious school meals, today's actions risk further undermining the health, well-being, and development of millions of students," Scott said.

"Moreover, last year, Congress already disregarded science in favor of industry lobbyists with the passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. This bill allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve full-fat dairy options, such as whole milk even though whole milk contains far more saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories than fat-free and low-fat milk.

"School meal programs reduce child hunger and are often the only access some students have to healthy food. This is in part due to the federal government's long-standing efforts to limit the overconsumption of saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium in school meals," Scott continued.

"It is the responsibility of the federal government to promote evidence-backed guidance and provide Americans with healthy, responsible, and clear recommendations. The guidelines proposed today put politics over people and students' health at risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and more," Scott said.

"The Trump administration must recommit to science and adhere to decades of comprehensive nutrition guidance that ensures children receive the healthiest meals possible."

For more on the new guidelines, see https://realfood.gov/…

Jerry Hagstrom can be reached at jhagstrom@nationaljournal.com

Follow him on social platform X @hagstromreport

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