Redesigning the Process for Establishing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

What foods should Americans eat to promote their health, and in what amounts? What is the scientific evidence that supports specific recommendations for dietary intake to reduce the risk of multifactorial chronic disease? These questions are critically important because dietary intake has been recognized to have a role as a key determinant of health.As the primary federal source of consistent, evidence-based information on dietary practices for optimal nutrition, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) have the promise to empower Americans to make informed decisions about what and how much they eat to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The adoption and widespread translation of the DGA requires that they be universally viewed as valid, evidence-based, and free of bias and conflicts of interest to the extent possible. However, this has not routinely been the case.A first short report meant to inform the 2020 review cycle explored how the advisory committee selection process can be improved to provide more transparency, eliminate bias, and include committee members with a range of viewpoints. This second and final report recommends changes to the DGA process to reduce and manage sources of bias and conflicts of interest, improve timely opportunities for engagement by all interested parties, enhance transparency, and strengthen the science base of the process.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 IntroductionPart I2 Role and Purposes of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans:Evaluation and Findings3 Process Redesign4 Strengthening Analyses and Advancing Methods UsedPart II5 Current Process for Developing the Dietary Guidelines forAmericans: Key Findings6 Current Approaches to Examining the Evidence: Key Findings7 Recent Approaches to Assessing Nutritional Adequacy and ExploringChronic DiseaseAppendix A: GlossaryAppendix B: Public Workshop Agenda and CommentsAppendix C: DGAC Topics and QuestionsAppendix D: Dietary Guidelines for Americans Guidelines and KeyRecommendationsAppendix E: Additional Information About the Dietary ReferenceIntakesAppendix F: Committee Member and Staff BiographiesAppendix G: Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest