Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Red Meat, Full-Fat Dairy Get Top Billing In Updated Dietary Guidelines
The New York Times: RFK Jr. Overhauls Food Pyramid To Emphasize Red Meat And Dairy
In a striking reversal of past nutrition guidance, the Trump administration released new dietary guidelines on Wednesday that flip the food pyramid on its head, putting steak, cheese and whole milk near the top. ... After years of being advised to avoid eating too much red meat and foods high in fats, Americans are now being told to embrace them. The document, which is far shorter than previous versions, codifies some of Mr. Kennedy’s frequent talking points, like recommending that people cook with butter and beef tallow despite the fact that scientific evidence does not support doing so. (Callahan and Blum, 1/7)
Stat: Experts Behind New Dietary Guidelines Have Ties To Beef, Dairy Industries
A group of researchers that formed the scientific basis of new dietary guidelines included people with financial ties to the beef and dairy industries, as well as food companies and other groups. (Cueto and Todd, 1/7)
The New York Times: New Dietary Guidelines Abandon Longstanding Advice On Alcohol
Ever since the federal government began issuing the Dietary Guidelines in 1980, it has told Americans to limit themselves to one or two standard alcoholic drinks a day. Over time, the official advice morphed to no more than two drinks a day for men, and no more than one for women. No longer. The updated guidelines issued on Wednesday say instead that people should consume less alcohol “for better overall health” and “limit alcohol beverages,” but they do not recommend clear limits. (Caryn Rabin, 1/7)
MedPage Today: How Medical Groups Reacted To The New Dietary Guidelines
Reaction has been mixed to the Trump administration's announcement Wednesday of new dietary guidelines that focus on increasing intake of whole foods and decreasing consumption of overly processed foods. (Frieden, 1/7)
In other news about nutrition and health —
Undark: As Guidelines Shift, A Curious Debate Over Seed Oils Persists
Before beginning his tenure as secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted an old picture of his father, Bobby Kennedy, and another man at a drive-in fast food restaurant on the social media platform X. RFK Jr. took the family photograph as an opportunity to rail against plant-based seed oils, cooking oils extracted from seeds like sunflowers, soybean, and corn. He wrote in the caption that they “are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic” and that Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned” by them. (López Lloreda, 1/8)
CNN: Common Food Preservatives Linked To Cancer And Type 2 Diabetes
Common preservatives used to keep food safe and extend shelf life may be linked to a higher risk of several cancers and type 2 diabetes, according to two new studies from France. (LaMotte, 1/7)
