RFK Jr.’s New Dietary Guidelines Say No Added Sugar For Kids Under 10, More Red Meat & Full-Fat Dairy
While the substance of these guidelines rarely changes, some nutritional advice has now been reversed entirely.
Earlier this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Health and Human Services Department ordered changes to the CDC’s recommended childhood vaccine schedule, a decision medical authorities denounced. Today, HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a restructured national nutrition policy that the organization says will improve Americans’ health by centering “real food.”
The Health and Agriculture Departments’ official dietary guidelines are updated every five years, though the content rarely changes. These policies heavily persuade the types and amounts of foods served in schools, hospitals, prisons, military bases, and through federal assistance programs, according to The New York Times.
HHS’ announcement today states that more than 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, and 90% of health care spending in this country goes toward treating chronic illnesses. It claims “diet-driven chronic disease now disqualifies many young Americans from military service, threatening national readiness and limiting opportunity.” The proposed solution is simple: “eat real food.”
“These Guidelines return us to the basics,” Secretary Kennedy said. “American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods — protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains — and dramatically reduce highly processed foods. This is how we Make America Healthy Again.”
So, what changed? Here’s how the 2020-2025 dietary guidelines, housed on MyPlate.gov, compare to the 2025-2030 recs, which now live on a new federal website, realfood.gov:
The new guidelines promote eating 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Protein was important to include in each meal, according to previous guidelines, but it did not take priority over other food groups — the USDA just encouraged Americans to choose lean and varied protein sources. There is no firm evidence that everyone needs to consume this much protein, according to The New York Times, but these amounts are often recommended for those trying to build muscle.
The USDA and HHS now say Americans should “consume full-fat dairy products with no added sugars.” The former USDA guidelines said the opposite — that Americans should “move to low-fat or fat-free dairy milk or yogurt (or lactose-free dairy or fortified soy versions).” The organizations also took a much stronger stance against added sugars. Previous guidelines suggested avoiding them until age 2, while the new ones say to keep them out of kids’ diets until age 10.
In some areas, the 2025-2030 guidelines are unclear compared to previous years’. The new edict to “limit alcohol consumption for better overall health” is vague compared to the advice of previous decades: to limit alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day. At a press conference announcing these new guidelines, Dr. Mehmet Oz’s clarification was that alcohol is a “social lubricant” and the message was simply, “Don’t have it for breakfast.”
The advice also references “highly processed foods” often — specifically, the need to avoid them — but experts have long said that no good, universal definition of “processed” exists. These guidelines define them as “packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies, and candy that have added sugars and sodium,” as well as sweetened beverages.
The new guidelines also assert that people who follow them can “help prevent the onset or slow the rate of progression of chronic disease, especially cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.”
The American Heart Association issued a statement commending the new guidelines’ promotion of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, but pushed back against some of the new recommendations.
“We are concerned that recommendations regarding salt seasoning and red meat consumption could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease. While the guidelines highlight whole-fat dairy, the Heart Association encourages consumption of low-fat and fat-free dairy products, which can be beneficial to heart health.”
If you have any questions about what your meals should look like, specifically if you do have any pre-existing health conditions, be sure to talk to your doctor before changing your diet.
