Washington, D.C., January 12, 2005
– The American Public Health Association announced its support for the new dietary guidelines for Americans released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“The revised dietary guidelines provide sound science-based advice for promoting health and reducing risk for major chronic diseases through diet and physical activity,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “The release of the updated guidelines represents a valuable step in addressing the nutritional health of the nation. Now the hard part is putting these recommendations into action.”
The guidelines, which are reviewed, updated and released by HHS and USDA every five years, contain the latest nutritional and dietary guidance for the general public and are considered the foundation on which national nutrition programs and policies are based. The guidelines also provide a platform for reducing health disparities and addressing environmental changes that can influence the public’s ability to follow dietary guidance.
More information on the guidelines is available at www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/. The corresponding Food Guidance System, previously known as the Food Guide Pyramid, is expected to be released in February 2005.