The U.S. Dietary Guidelines Are Changing: Here’s What You Need to Know
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines Are Changing
What could these changes mean for you and your community?
The USDA and HHS recently released the final Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), offering an early look at what may shape U.S. nutrition policy for the next five years. Developed over two years through extensive research and expert analysis, the report highlights major shifts in how we define healthy eating, particularly around protein and plant-based diets such as DASH-style, Mediterranean style, or vegetarian style.
One of the more noteworthy changes is the push for the substitution of butter, processed and unprocessed red meat, and dairy with plant-based food sources like beans, lentils, peas, vegetables, or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)- and PUFA-rich vegetable oils. These foods are not only nutrient-dense but also are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and high in fiber, which is something 95% of Americans don’t get enough of according to a 2023 umbrella review.
The DGAC also notes that the current U.S. dietary intakes indicate that it should focus on plant-based sources, followed by nuts, seeds, soy products, seafood, and finally meat and poultry, among other things. This shift encourages healthier and more sustainable eating patterns.
In addition, the DGAC introduces a new food pattern called “Eat Healthy Your Way.” This flexible approach emphasizes nutrient-rich foods while honoring personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budget realities. It supports dietary equity by allowing individuals to choose healthy foods that work for their unique lifestyles.
One area that remains unresolved is guidance around ultra-processed foods. Although their connection to chronic disease continues to be studied, the committee stopped short of issuing formal recommendations due to inconsistent definitions and measurement methods.
The USDA and HHS are expected to release the final 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines later this year. In the meantime, this report provides a meaningful preview into how food policy may evolve to support healthier, more inclusive diets across the country.
Figure B.2.2 of the report provides examples of how the Committee integrated health equity into each method it used to evaluate the evidence.
The DGAC report doesn’t only outline what we should eat, but it highlights why it matters. Poor nutrition contributes to chronic health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers, that remain an urgent public health issue. More importantly, the report highlights that these conditions disproportionately affect certain demographics, shedding light on the need to address long-standing social determinants of health—including access to nutritious food, healthcare, safe environments, economics, and other structural factors.
The report offers science-based recommendations designed to support all individuals, regardless of income, culture, or background, in achieving better health through better food.
Read the Full Report
To explore the data and findings on enhancing health equity across the lifespan stages, take a moment to read the full Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Read the full report here