A scientific advisory committee recommended several revisions for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, last published in 1995. On February 4, 2000, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, whose recommendations reflect several suggestions made by the AOA.
The revisions included prioritizing the weight guideline, separating weight from other guidelines, and shifting emphasis from low-fat food consumption to total calories as well as content of food. Those and other changes to the weight section of the guidelines are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1
Changes to the Weight Section in the Dietary Guidelines
| 1995 Dietary Guidelines |
2000 Dietary Guidelines |
| A
total of seven guidelines are prioritized equally |
Weight
guideline is given high priority among a total of ten
|
| Old
Title: Balance the Food You Eat With Physical Activity
- Maintain or Improve Your Weight |
New
Title: Aim for a Healthy Weight |
| Healthy
weight and physical activity are part of one guideline |
Healthy
weight and physical activity are separated into distinct
guidelines |
| Waist-to-hip
ratio is suggested to measure abdominal fat |
Waist
circumference is suggested to measure abdominal fat |
| No
mention of Body Mass Index (BMI) |
BMI
is introduced to evaluate body weight |
| Height/Weight
chart |
BMI
cutpoints added to height/weight chart, showing increased
health risk with higher levels of BMI |
| No
mention of genetics |
Involvement
of genetics now known to affect weight gain |
| Eat
less fat as a means to decrease energy intake |
Low-fat
foods are not necessarily low-calorie |
| Emphasis
on long-term changes in diet pattern |
Continued
emphasis on long-term changes in diet pattern, specifically
promoting fruits, vegetables and grains as an approach
to decrease energy density of meals |
| No
mention of weight cycling |
Achieving
and maintaining a healthy weight encouraged for all including
persons who have lost and regained weight |
| No
mention of childhood obesity |
Healthy
weight in children is emphasized |
| No
method to assess health risks related to overweight and
obesity |
Assessment
of health risks associated with weight status is added |
The recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) undergoes scientific review at the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. Acting together, the two agencies determine the federal nutrition policy. A consumer brochure was published in June 2000.
AOA Recommendations Heeded
In recent years, dietary messages regarding weight loss have focused on reducing fat intake. Low-fat products often contain added sugars, however, and a relatively high number of total calories. Consumers who increase their intake of low-fat / high-calorie foods, without appropriate adjustments in overall diet and activity, are likely to experience weight gain.
The AOA suggested that the DGAC shift the focus of the guidelines from eating less fat to balancing content and total number of calories. The revised guidelines explain that low-fat products are not always low-calorie.
The AOA submitted comments on March 8, 1999, recommending that the DGAC:
- recognize that obesity is the overwhelming dietary influence on major chronic disease.
- prioritize the guidelines to correct the false equality among all the guidelines.
- give the highest priority to the weight guideline and re-title the section, Achieve a Healthy Weight.
- identify the guidelines as being for adults, and establish separate guidelines for children.
- replace the height/weight chart with a BMI chart or, preferably, a more comprehensive tool that incorporates other weight-related risk factors. The AOA's Weight Wellness Profile was offered as a risk assessment model.
- recommend that federal government information campaigns utilizing the dietary guidelines target overweight and obesity more aggressively.
The influence of the AOA's recommendations is evident in the changes shown in Table 1. "The AOA is pleased with the DGAC's commitment to educating the public on obesity and nutrition," said Morgan Downey, AOA's executive director. "Still, many improvements are needed in policy and educational programs. Federal agencies must work together to eliminate inconsistent messages that may hinder efforts to teach strategies for healthy weight."
The dietary guidelines were developed to inform Americans about the role of dietary intake in reducing the risk of developing major chronic diseases. Obesity is becoming more accepted by the public health community as a chronic disease as well as a precursor to various other diseases. The role of dietary intake is critical to the prevention and treatment of obesity and its co-morbidities.
The fifth edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is available on the Internet at www.usda.gov/cnpp/dietary_guidelines.htm.
