The New Dietary Guidelines

The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans correctly identify chronic disease as a national health crisis. Rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and related conditions continue to overwhelm the U.S. healthcare system, and few experts dispute that diet plays a central role. However, the new guidelines frame the problem—and its solution—in a way that conflicts with decades of nutrition science.

The guidelines place primary blame on highly processed foods while promoting higher intake of protein, meat, cheese, and full-fat dairy. This “real food” framing suggests that processing itself is the main driver of chronic disease and that animal foods should be emphasized as part of the solution. The evidence tells a different story.

Health organizations, including the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), have criticized the guidelines for failing to clearly identify the major dietary sources of saturated fat and cholesterol—namely meat and dairy products. PCRM has formally petitioned federal agencies to revise the recommendations, citing conflicts with the scientific literature and longstanding concerns about industry influence.

A central assumption in the new guidelines is that Americans are not consuming enough protein. Recommended intakes have been raised to 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight—levels well above what is needed to prevent deficiency. For most Americans, this implies 80–120 grams of protein per day.

Yet protein deficiency is not driving today’s chronic disease epidemic. The typical U.S. diet already meets or exceeds protein requirements and is heavily centered on animal foods. Increasing meat and dairy intake—whether processed or “whole”—does not address the dietary factors most consistently linked to poor health. In contrast, 97% of Americans fail to meet fiber recommendations, a nutrient found exclusively in whole plant foods and strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk.

Decades of research show that long-term health outcomes are driven less by food processing categories and more by dietary patterns and specific nutrients. Key findings are well established:

• Saturated fat raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol

• Elevated LDL cholesterol directly causes heart disease

• Red meat and full-fat dairy are major sources of saturated fat and cholesterol

• Fiber-rich whole plant foods lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature death

• Diets centered on animal foods are associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers

These conclusions are supported by large population studies, randomized trials, and reviews from organizations such as the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.

While reducing ultra-processed foods high in sugar, sodium, and industrial fats is sensible, focusing on processing alone obscures the larger issue. Notably, studies such as the Stanford SWAP-MEAT trial show that replacing animal meat with plant-based alternatives—even when those alternatives are technically more processed—improves LDL cholesterol and cardiometabolic health.

An evidence-based approach to dietary guidance consistently points in a different direction: meals centered on vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds; limited saturated fat and dietary cholesterol; and adequate protein obtained primarily from plant sources. This pattern forms the foundation of whole-food, plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine and remains the most consistently supported strategy for preventing and reversing chronic disease reflected in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Nutrition Prescription for Treating and Reversing Chronic Disease.

This approach is not about restriction or perfection. It is about aligning national dietary guidance with what the science most reliably shows improves long-term health.