Updated with responses from CNPP, June 24, 2019. The complete letter from CNPP can be viewed here. Blog updated Aug 1, 2019.

by Nina Teicholz

The advisory committee appointed to oversee the science for the next set of Dietary Guidelines, in 2020, held its inaugural meeting last month—with some startling surprises. Most extraordinary was the government’s assertion that at a time when 60% of the population is afflicted with some kind of nutrition-related disease, the Guidelines will continue to be a policy for healthy Americans only.

With such a narrow focus, this policy is on track to do virtually nothing to reverse the epidemics of disease that are causing enormous suffering as well as bankrupting our country. What’s more, this narrow scope could be illegal. A 1990 law states that the Dietary Guidelines must be for the “general public” (Sec. 301)—which is now rightly defined as those of us with nutrition-related diseases.

One committee member took issue with this narrow focus, querying the USDA staff: “But if you excluded such people [with a particular disease condition]…that would not actually be representative of who lives in this country” (Day 1, Afternoon, 47:00). Exactly.

Dietary Guidelines Only for “Healthy Americans”

It’s a secret of sorts that the Guidelines exclude people with obesity, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, or other diseases tied to nutrition. After all, the Guidelines virtually dictate feeding programs for people who are both sick and well—“captive” populations in settings such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes and more. The Guidelines are also downloaded as the virtual “gold standard” by medical doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, and nurses alike.

Thus, if you are suffering from obesity, diabetes, dementia, high blood pressure or more, professionals will hand you the government’s one-size-fits-all diet, designed exclusively for healthy people.