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Introduction to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
by Brittany Kaczmarek
1/21/16
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines focuses on helping Americans make selections adding up to an overall
healthy eating pattern, rather than individual dietary components. Because:

Individuals do not eat food groups and nutrients by themselves but in combination

These patterns can be designed to an individual’s personal preferences, permitting individuals to
create a diet that is appropriate for them

The relationship between overall eating patterns, health, and risk of chronic disease are well
established
There are five overarching Guidelines encouraging healthy eating patterns, emphasizing that individuals will
need to make shifts in their diet to achieve a healthy pattern, and recognize that all of society plays a role in
supporting healthy eating patterns. These Guidelines specify that a healthy eating pattern is flexible and can
contain foods an individual regularly consumes to meet their preferences while also remaining within their
budget.
The Guidelines:
1. Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan
2. Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount
3. Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake
4. Shift to healthier food and beverage choices
5. Support healthier eating patterns for all
Key Recommendations:
The Key Recommendations for healthy eating patterns should be utilized in their totality due to the interrelated
relationship dietary components have on each other. Individuals should consume a healthy eating pattern that
accounts for all foods and beverages within an appropriate calorie level. This edition of the Dietary Guidelines
emphasizes making substitutions, known as shifts. Individuals are advised to shift to nutrient-dense foods and
beverages in place of less healthy, energy-dense foods. Finally, support from multiple levels of society aids
individuals in following a healthy eating pattern.
A healthy eating pattern includes:

A variety of vegetables from all subgroups (red, orange, dark green, legumes, starchy etc.)

Fruits (especially whole fruits)

Grains (with at least half of which are whole grains)

Low-fat or fat-free dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy beverages)

Various protein foods (lean meats, seafood, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products)
Introduction to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
by Brittany Kaczmarek
1/21/16
A healthy eating pattern limits:

Saturated fats and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium
o
Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars
o
Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats
o
Consume less than 2300 milligrams per day of sodium. 1500 milligrams per day for those
with prehypertension or hypertension
Daily recommendations based on the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern at the 2,000-calorie level
Vegetables
2 ½ cups
Fruits
2 cups
Grains
6 ounces (at least ½ whole grains)
Dairy (based on age, not calorie level)
2 cups for children ages 2-3 years
2 ½ cups for children ages 4-8 years
3 cups for adolescents ages 9-18 years and adults
Protein
5 ½ ounces
Oils
27 grams (about 5 teaspoons)
Key Differences from 2010-2015 DGA:
o
Limit intake of added sugars to less than 10% of total calories per day
o
High-intensity sweeteners are safe to consume and replacing added sugars with these sweeteners may
reduce calorie intake in the short-term
o
No recommendation to limit cholesterol, sufficient evidence is not available for a specific limit on
dietary cholesterol
o
Limit sodium intake to less than 2300 mg per day
o
Moderate coffee consumption (3-5 eight ounce cups/day or up to 400 mg/day of caffeine) can be
included in healthy eating patterns. However, individuals who do not currently consume caffeine are
not advised to begin.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at
http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/