The guidelines come up every five years and this is a similar guideline as the last one but according to experts, this time around the message is stronger and clearer: "Eat less and eat better" and "Enjoy your food, but eat less." It also focuses on children 2 years and older plus the 23 key recommendations for the general population and six additional ones for specific groups such as pregnant women.
Figures show that about one-third of the adults in this country are obese. Poor diet and lack of exercise can lead to heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some types of cancer. According to Kathleen Sebelius, health and human services secretary, "The obesity epidemic carries a really steep cost... About three quarters of our health care costs are connected to chronic disease." She added, "A more healthy country is a more competitive and prosperous country."
Some key recommendations
Less salt, the better
Speaking on the current high consumption of salt or the average 3400mg of sodium each day by most Americans, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, "This is obviously a significant reduction that is being proposed and one that we hope the food processors in particularly will take into account." The Salt Institute questioned the link between sodium and high blood pressure, arguing the recommendation would have a variety of negative effects on health, including worsening the obesity epidemic by driving people to eat more overall to satisfy their desire for salt. Morton Satin, the institute's vice president for science and research said, "The guidelines, if followed, may have negative substantial unintended health consequences."
Vilsack said, "This is a crisis we can no longer ignore...The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country." Sebelius added, "Helping Americans incorporate these guidelines into their everyday lives is important to improving the overall health of the American people... The new dietary guidelines provide concrete action steps to help people live healthier, more physically active and longer lives."
The guidelines were prepared by a committee of experts that conducted an exhaustive review of the scientific literature about diet, exercise and health, as well as hundreds of public comments and testimony at a series of public meetings.
However Margo G. Wootan of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest feels, "Without even more serious governmental efforts - such as banning artificial trans fat and limiting sodium in packaged foods - the dietary guidelines will not be sufficient to fend off the costly and debilitating diet-related illnesses that afflict millions of Americans."