What is included in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

October 26, 2025 •

2 min read

Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to provide evidence-based recommendations on healthy eating patterns. This critical document outlines key nutritional advice to promote health and reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases for the general public, as well as specific populations.

Quick Summary

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide evidence-based recommendations for healthy eating patterns across the lifespan, emphasizing nutrient-dense foods while limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. They serve as the foundation for federal nutrition programs and resources like MyPlate.

Key Points

Lifespan Approach: The Dietary Guidelines provide nutrition recommendations tailored for all life stages, from infancy through older adulthood.
Four Overarching Guidelines: The recommendations are built on four core principles: follow a healthy dietary pattern, customize food choices, focus on nutrient density, and limit unhealthy components.
Emphasis on Nutrient-Dense Foods: The guidelines promote a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy, protein foods, and healthy oils.
Limits on Unhealthy Components: Specific caps are set for added sugars (under 10% of calories), saturated fat (under 10% of calories), and sodium (under 2,300 mg daily).
Complementary to MyPlate: The DGA serves as the scientific policy document, while MyPlate is a visual tool to help consumers apply the guidelines.
Evidence-Based and Regularly Updated: The guidelines are based on current scientific knowledge and are published every five years by the USDA and HHS.

Core Pillars of the Dietary Guidelines

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) are a cornerstone of federal nutrition policy, influencing programs like school lunches and WIC. Updated every five years by the USDA and HHS, the DGA is based on scientific evidence reviewed by an advisory committee. The 2020-2025 edition outlines four main guidelines to support healthy dietary patterns throughout life.

Guideline 1: Follow a Healthy Dietary Pattern at Every Life Stage

This guideline emphasizes that healthy eating is a continuous process adapted for different life stages, including infancy, childhood, pregnancy, and older adulthood. Recommendations range from exclusive human milk feeding for infants to encouraging a variety of nutrient-dense foods for toddlers and adults.

Guideline 2: Customize and Enjoy Nutrient-Dense Foods and Beverages

Recognizing individual needs, the DGA promotes customizing healthy eating patterns based on preferences, culture, and budget. The focus is on nutrient-dense foods that offer vitamins and minerals with minimal added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. MyPlate visually supports this guideline by illustrating the recommended food groups.

Guideline 3: Focus on Meeting Food Group Needs with Nutrient-Dense Foods and Beverages

This guideline details the food groups that should form a healthy diet. Key groups include all types of vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy or fortified alternatives, various protein sources like lean meats and legumes, and healthy oils.

Guideline 4: Limit Foods and Beverages Higher in Added Sugars, Saturated Fat, and Sodium

The DGA recommends specific limits on components often overconsumed. Added sugars should be less than 10% of daily calories for those over two, saturated fat less than 10% of daily calories (replaced with unsaturated fats), and sodium less than 2,300 mg daily for most adults. It's noted that most sodium comes from processed foods and restaurants. Alcoholic beverages should be limited, with potential risks associated with consumption.

MyPlate vs. Dietary Guidelines


Feature	MyPlate	Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)
Purpose	Visual icon and practical tool to help consumers implement DGA recommendations.	Comprehensive, evidence-based nutrition policy document.
Format	Simple plate graphic showing five food groups in proportion.	Detailed federal report with scientific rationale and recommendations.
Target Audience	General public, focusing on practical food choices for meals.	Broad audience, including health professionals, policymakers, and the public.
Detail Level	High-level, core messages for food groups.	Expansive details on diet, life stages, chronic disease prevention, and specific limits.
History	Evolved from the Food Guide Pyramid, based on DGA principles.	Published since 1980, updated every five years.

The DGA provides the scientific foundation, while MyPlate offers a user-friendly tool to apply these principles daily.

Conclusion

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide a vital, evidence-based framework for healthy eating across the lifespan. By prioritizing nutrient-dense foods and limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, individuals can reduce their risk of chronic diseases. Updated regularly to incorporate new scientific findings, the DGA remains an authoritative source for nutrition guidance. Understanding its contents is key to adopting a healthier diet. The official DGA website offers further details [https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/].

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary purpose is to provide evidence-based nutrition recommendations to promote health and reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases for the American public.

The Dietary Guidelines are updated and published every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The guidelines recommend limiting foods and beverages that are higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

The current guidelines recommend that individuals over age two consume less than 10% of their total daily calories from added sugars.

Yes, the DGA addresses nutrition recommendations across the entire lifespan, including specific advice for infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults, and pregnant or lactating women.

The DGA provides the comprehensive, evidence-based policy, while MyPlate is a visual icon and practical tool developed by the USDA to help consumers understand and apply the guidelines.

A healthy dietary pattern is defined as the combination of foods and beverages a person consumes over time. It is based on nutrient-dense foods from all food groups, with specific limits on less healthy components.