A report released by a U.S. advisory panel last month outlines recommendations that could be the foundation for new federal dietary guidelines and revisions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “food pyramid,” which is used to guide the school lunch program.
The 13-member committee, which focused on the scientific underpinnings of nutrition, recommended that changes to the guidelines include an increase in the intake of fruits and vegetables, a greater emphasis on physical exercise, moderation of calorie intake, and a reduction in the use of salts, fats, and alcohol.
A 30-day public-comment period on the recommendations will end on Sept. 27, Bill Pierce, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said last week. “Our concern is to take what we know about diet and nutrition and communicate [that knowledge] to the public,” he said.
The new dietary guidelines are expected to be released in January.
