USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services have reaffirmed the role of beef and dairy in a healthy diet in the final 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, according to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and National Milk Producers Federation.

The two groups issued statements on Tuesday following the release of the guidelines, which are updated every five years.

“Beef is one of America’s favorite foods, and science consistently shows lean beef can be a cornerstone in a variety of healthy diets,” Marty Smith, NCBA president, said.

“Now more than ever, the key to proper nutrition is giving people practical and realistic advice to help create balanced diets that work for them, featuring foods they love — like beef, which pairs perfectly with other nutrient-rich foods,” he said.

The latest update to the guidelines also restates dairy’s importance in healthy diets.

“The panel’s recognition that dairy is a key source of ‘nutrients of concern’ in U.S. diets is especially important,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO.

“During a time of food insecurity and concerns about nutrition among Americans, dairy is a readily available solution to clearly identified public-health challenges,” he said.

While the guidelines reaffirm the central role of dairy in a healthy diet, NMPF will continue its efforts to broaden consideration of the latest science on dairy fats in the next dietary guidelines process.

Another group, however, took issue with the guidelines.

The Nutrition Coalition, a nonprofit group of public health advocates, is concerned the guidelines address only a minority of Americans and not the 60% with at least one diet-related chronic disease.

“This narrow scope fails to meet the congressional statute that the DGA address the general public,” Nina Teicholz, the coalition’s executive director, said in a press release.

“The general public is now ill, afflicted with chronic disease, and we have a national nutrition policy that ignores them,” she said.

The policy is scoped for disease prevention only and ignores the 60% of the population diagnosed with one or more chronic diseases, including heart disease, obesity and diabetes, she said.

The guidelines broadly influence policy followed by healthcare practitioners, educators, media outlets and the military. They drive food choices for the $100 billion spent by USDA on nutrition assistance programs for school lunches and food assistance programs for the elderly, women with infant children and disadvantaged communities, the coalition said.

“The populations in these USDA programs have significantly higher rates of diet-related conditions, and yet the foods delivered to them are arguably inappropriate for their diseases,” Teicholz said.

The coalition has called for increased transparency, a more rigorous scientific process and the need for the guidelines to be more applicable to all Americans, including people with chronic diet-related diseases.

The coalition also takes issue with the nondisclosure of potentially significant conflicts of interest on the expert committee, including members with ties to Nestle, Merck & Co., ConAgra, Dannon, Monsanto and infant formula and baby food companies.

1. The Dietary Guidelines were developed to help all Americans. They are based on scientific evidence on health-promoting diets in people who represent the general U.S. population, including those who are healthy, those at risk for diet-related diseases and those living with these diseases.

2. There are 4 overarching Guidelines in the 2020-2025 edition:

• Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.

• Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions and budgetary considerations.

• Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits.

• Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.

3. There are key recommendations supporting the 4 Guidelines, including quantitative recommendations on limits that are based on the body of science reviewed:

• Limit added sugars to less than 10% of calories per day for ages 2 and older and to avoid added sugars for infants and toddlers.

• Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of calories per day starting at age 2.

• Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day (or even less if younger than 14).

• Limit alcoholic beverages to 2 drinks or less a day for men and 1 drink or less a day for women.

4. This is the first time the Guidelines have provided guidance by stage of life, from birth to older adulthood, including pregnancy and lactation. They provide guidance across all of the life stages and are organized by chapters for each life stage. The edition also emphasizes that it is never too early or too late to eat healthy.

5. This edition has a call to action: “Make Every Bite Count with the Dietary Guidelines.” The Guidelines focus on choosing healthy foods and beverages rich in nutrients, and staying within your calorie limit.

6. Making choices rich in nutrients should be the first choice. There is very little leeway for extra calories from added sugars, saturated fats and alcohol. Most of the calories a person eats each day, about 85%, are needed for foods rich in nutrients that help the person meet food group recommendations. Only a small amount of calories, about 15%, are left over for added sugars, saturated fat and alcohol.

7. It’s about the pattern of eating, not just healthy choices here and there. The Guidelines focus on the combination of foods and beverages that make up an individual’s whole diet over time, and not single foods or eating occasions in isolation. Research shows that the ongoing pattern of an individual’s eating habits has the greatest impact on their health.

8. Most Americans still do not follow the Guidelines. The average American diet scores a 59 out of 100 on the Healthy Eating Index, which measures how closely a diet aligns with the Dietary Guidelines. Research shows that higher scores can improve Americans’ health.

9. There are 3 Key Dietary Principles that can help people achieve the Dietary Guidelines:

• Meet nutritional needs primarily from foods and beverages.

• Choose a variety of options from each food group.

• Pay attention to portion size.

10. The Dietary Guidelines are meant to be adaptable to personal preferences, cultural foodways and budgetary considerations. The Guidelines framework purposely provides recommendations by food groups and subgroups — not specific foods and beverages — to avoid being prescriptive. This framework approach ensures that people can “make it their own” by selecting healthy foods, beverages, meals and snacks specific to their needs and preferences.