The US Departments of Health and Humans Services (DHHS) and Agriculture (USDA) have released the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines which provide 5 overarching guidelines that encourage healthy eating patterns and aim to prevent diet-related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The 5 guidelines include:

• Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan.

• Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount.

• Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake.

• Shift to healthier food and beverage choices.

• Support healthy eating patterns for all.

Key recommendations include:

• Consume a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all foods and beverages within an appropriate calorie level.

• A healthy eating pattern that includes:

◊ A variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups – dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other

◊ Fruits, especially whole fruits

◊ Grains, at least half of which are whole grains

◊ Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages

◊ A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products

◊ Oils

Citation: US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8^th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

Commentary: Obesity, and the downstream effects on a multitude of diseases including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and coronary artery disease, has emerged as the health challenge of the millennium. Currently two-thirds of the US population is either overweight or obese, and if the current trend continues, 1 of 3 infants born this year will develop diabetes. The new nutritional guidelines serve as a blueprint for healthy eating. Previous dietary guidelines focused on individual dietary components and nutrients. The current guidelines recognize that people do not usually make their food choices by focusing on individual components of diet, but rather they follow patterns of food choices. The current guidelines focus on making broad beneficial choices and following healthy patterns in order to function optimally and decrease the development of chronic disease. —Neil Skolnik, MD