New HHS Dietary Guidelines Take Hard Line on Processed Foods for First Time

On January 7, 2026, HHS and the US Department of Agriculture released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), the federally mandated update to national nutrition guidance issued every 5 years.1 This edition has drawn heightened attention amid the Trump administration’s emphasis on food and health, prior controversial statements on nutrition, departures from standard scientific processes in other policy areas, and the influence of the Make America Healthy Again movement.2

The most critical uncertainty is how the new dietary guidelines will be implemented.

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The DGAs provide nutrition recommendations for the general population and directly inform food procurement standards in schools and child care facilities, military dining, federal cafeterias, and nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. They also shape food industry formulation and marketing. As a result, changes to the guidelines carry broad implications for public health, clinical care, research, and food policy, according to a perspective article by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, published today in JAMA.

A Break With Past Guidance on Processed Foods

The most consequential update is the first-ever explicit recommendation to limit or avoid highly processed, packaged, or ready-to-eat foods. The 2025-2030 DGAs advise reducing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages; foods high in added sugars or sodium; refined, highly processed carbohydrates; and products with chemical additives. These foods are widely overconsumed in the US and consistently associated with adverse health outcomes. Refined grains alone are consumed in excess by more than 95% of Americans.

Previous DGAs avoided discouraging specific foods or food categories, instead emphasizing moderation and nutrient targets. This approach implicitly permitted items such as soda, processed meats, and refined-grain snacks within a “healthy eating pattern,” even in school meals. Highly processed foods, flavored milks, and packaged snacks have remained common in federally regulated settings.

The new DGAs represent a sharp departure, Mozaffarian explained. For the first time, federal guidance advises limiting products such as chips, cookies, candy, white bread, packaged breakfast cereals, crackers, and meats containing chemical additives like nitrites. The guidelines also newly recommend limiting foods with artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and nonnutritive sweeteners. Limits on added sugar are strengthened by product, meal, and age group, including guidance for zero added sugar intake from birth through age 10.

Taken together, the DGAs advise against an estimated 60% to 70% of the current US food supply, marking a historic shift and sending a clear signal to the food industry, the article stated.

Emphasis on Whole Foods and Healthy Fats

The updated guidelines also place stronger emphasis on whole or minimally processed foods, fiber-rich whole grains, and healthy fats, summarized under a new tagline: “eat real food.” While similar principles appeared in prior editions, they now take a more central role.

A notable change is the inclusion of whole-fat dairy products without added sugars as acceptable options. This reflects growing evidence showing no meaningful benefit of low-fat over whole-fat dairy for cardiometabolic health. The guidance could shift meals for children away from sweetened low-fat dairy products and refined-grain snacks toward plain dairy, whole grains, and healthy oils.

However, the DGAs provide limited differentiation among fat sources. Plant-based oils, dairy fats, and animal fats are discussed together, despite evidence favoring plant and seafood sources over red and processed meats. Still, the guidelines recommend prioritizing oils rich in essential fatty acids, such as olive oil, and do not discourage omega-6 fats or seed oils, countering misinformation prevalent in social media.

Higher Protein Targets Raise Implementation Questions

The DGAs also increase recommended protein intake from 0.8 g/kg of body weight per day to 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg per day. This translates to roughly 16% to 21% of daily calories from protein, above current average intake.

Although higher protein intake can support muscle mass when combined with resistance training, evidence suggests limited benefit without sustained physical activity. Excess protein may be converted to fat, potentially increasing diabetes risk. Public health experts have also raised concerns that the emphasis on protein could unintentionally promote higher meat consumption.

As in prior editions, the DGAs recommend both animal and plant protein sources without clearly prioritizing among them, although the accompanying food pyramid includes a broad mix of foods and excludes processed meats.

Unanswered Questions About Implementation

The most critical uncertainty is how the new DGAs will be implemented. Historically, dissemination and adoption have been limited by insufficient resources and administrative follow-through. Many Americans remain unfamiliar with current guidelines.

“It will be critical to follow how robustly the DGAs will be communicated to the public, incorporated into agency policy, and implemented in the community—steps that are essential to achieving positive effects,” Mozaffaria concluded.

References

1. Steinzor P. USDA and HHS update dietary guidelines to encourage real food, less sugar. AJMC®. January 7, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.ajmc.com/view/usda-and-hhs-update-dietary-guidelines-to-encourage-real-food-less-sugar
2. Mozaffarian D. The 2025-2030 dietary guidelines—time for real progress. JAMA. 2025;333(13):1111-1112. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.0410