Telling Us More Clearly: Cut the Sweets and Fats

Nutrition experts revising the government’s dietary guidelines want to tell Americans to limit sugary drinks and sweets and to cut down on foods rich in saturated fats, such as meat and dairy products.

The guidelines also would specify for the first time who might benefit from moderate consumption of alcoholic drinks--primarily middle-aged men and women--according to a draft of the new standards.

The revised standards will also put more emphasis on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables and will include a special section on food safety.

“These guidelines will be better than they have ever been,” said Margo Wootan, a senior scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition advocacy group.

First published in 1980, the guidelines are revised every five years to reflect the latest developments in scientific research.

Federally funded nutrition programs, including school lunches and Meals on Wheels, are required to adhere to the recommendations, and they are also widely used by professionals and dietitians in advising consumers.

The 11-member advisory committee writing the new guidelines is including a subtle change in wording meant to make the standards more palatable to consumers: The current guidelines recommend that people follow a diet that is low in total fat. The new recommendation is for a diet that is “moderate in total fat,” but low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

The recommended maximum fat intake won’t change--30% of total calories, or 65 grams a day in a 2,000-calorie diet.

“The goal is not to get people to eat no fat,” said Susan Borra, a dietitian with the International Food Information Council, the food industry’s consumer research arm.

Wootan said the wording change emphasizes that “what’s really important is to cut back” on saturated fat.

Draft guidelines for alcohol intake specify that men over 45 and women over 55 can benefit from moderate drinking, defined as one drink a day for women and no more than two daily for men.

Before the guidelines become official, they must be approved by the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

The departments have been sued by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and other groups that contend the committee is stacked with scientists biased toward meat and dairy products because of their ties to those industries through research or advisory work.

The lawsuit seeks to block the committee from releasing its recommendations.