Dietary Guidelines: What’s Changed, What’s the Same and Key Implications for Stakeholders

On January 7, 2026 the Trump Administration released the a joint production by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services. Overall, the advice of DGAs has not changed significantly from past editions—they have long emphasized eating a reasonable amount, with plenty of variety, fruits and vegetables, and whole foods (). However, there are several shifts worth noting that we have outlined below, as well as implications for those stakeholders (such as the nation’s 100,000+ schools) who will be tasked with incorporating these guidelines into federal programs.

Key Areas of Change

Increased protein intake: The new dietary guidelines recommend 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, with adjustments depending on an individual’s caloric needs and emphasis placed on consuming protein at every meal. This is an increase from the ) of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

Coming down hard on added sugar: The new guidelines have much stronger language around avoiding added sugar, including avoiding added sugar entirely during childhood. The recommended level (no more than ten grams per meal) is lower than (10% of calories per day). The guidelines also advise limiting artificial flavors, dyes, preservatives and low-calorie sweeteners.

Shift to whole-fat dairy: The new dietary guidelines recommend shifting from low-fat/fat-free dairy to full-fat dairy. This will have implications for the National School Lunch Program, which currently requires serving low-fat/fat-free dairy options. Flavored milk has been a major debate point in the past but is still currently allowed, despite the guidelines’ strong stance against added sugar.

Focus on getting healthy fats from natural sources: Commentators speculated whether this Administration would change the upper limit of saturated fat intake. Importantly, the recommendation stayed the same, limiting saturated fat to 10% of daily calories. The new dietary guidelines emphasize obtaining healthy fats from whole foods such as meat, eggs, nuts, etc.—a point widely accepted by nutritionists. They also recommended cooking in butter or tallow, which had mixed reactions from the medical community, as described below.

Deemphasizing grains: Notably, the outdated food pyramid has not existed as a source of nutritional guidance since 2011, when it was replaced by the individualized under the Obama Administration. However, the Trump Administration has revived this concept through the creation of an inverted pyramid that is largely meant to hammer home the shift in nutritional guidance over the past decades, deemphasizing grains and emphasizing the importance of fruit, vegetables and protein.             

Strong language discouraging processed foods: The Administration takes a strong stance on processed foods, including calling out specific products to avoid such as chips, cookies or candy. The term “highly processed” is used instead of “ultra-processed,” due to definitional challenges related to the term “ultra-processed.” For example, the to the DGAs notes that Nova—the most prominent existing classification system—“does not designate refined cooking ingredients such as refined starches, added sugars, or extracted oils as ultra-processed.” Notably, the Food and Drug Administration and USDA will be working with stakeholders to develop a definition for "ultra-processed foods,” .

Relaxed alcohol guidelines: Experts now largely agree that . The previous gender-specific limitations (one glass/day for women and two glasses/day for men) have been replaced with the instruction to “consume less alcohol for better overall health,” with no specific recommendations with respect to quantity. Some stakeholders are concerned that this could be perceived as a The criticized the new guidance for not providing clear recommendations and its lack of transparency about the known risks between alcohol use and cancer.

Reactions From the Medical Community

A wide range of stakeholders have weighed in on the new DGAs. The American Medical Association (AMA), for example, the new DGAs “for spotlighting the highly processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and excess sodium that fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic illnesses.” AMA committed to creating a compilation of nutrition education resources and continuing medical education, among other efforts to strengthen nutrition education and healthy eating. Likewise, the American Academy of Pediatrics the Administration for the inclusion of its evidence-based policy in the new dietary guidelines which promote whole, nutritious offerings and call for children to avoid highly processed foods and added sugars.  

The American Heart Association (AHA) had to the new DGAs. AHA agreed with the focus on increasing vegetables, fruit and whole grain consumption and limiting intake of added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods and saturated fats. However, AHA cautioned that recommendations on red meat consumption and salt seasoning could result in individuals surpassing limits for sodium and saturated fat intake, which they identify as the primary contributors to cardiovascular disease. AHA also advised that Americans should consume low-fat and fat-free dairy products, which can positively contribute to heart health. AHA advised against high-fat animal products such as butter or tallow.

New Dietary Guidelines: How Will They Be Implemented?

DGAs affect important federal programs, including the National School Lunch Program, Head Start and childcare centers, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, military bases, and Veterans Affairs hospitals. Secretaries Kennedy and Rollins indicated that updating standards for programs across governments will begin immediately. A key challenge will be translating the new DGAs into implementable standards for the field. Notably, schools are still in the process of implementing the last update to guidelines for added sugar and sodium.  

In addition, the Administration has indicated that they would like to further bring the dietary guidelines into the SNAP program. As of January 1, states are just beginning to roll out on soda and other sugary items. However, simply limiting these foods is not sufficient, and the Administration, states and stakeholders should for low-income families to adopt healthy diets.

Notably, large food vendors such as Aramark and Compass that support these programs will need to update their menus and offerings as well. More broadly, food producers and providers need to consider how to respond to potential changes in consumer demand that result from the updated guidelines. 

Achieving the Goal of a Healthier Future

Most importantly, the key question is how to incorporate DGAs into the everyday American diet. The Administration's significantly pared down version of the dietary guidelines is clearly meant to be more accessible to the average American. However, while DGAs generate controversy every time they are updated, the fact is very actually follow them. The real challenge for government, health care providers and food producers is how to facilitate and support transition to a healthier diet. 

Although the Administration notes there is not yet an agreed upon definition for highly processed foods, for the it is “defined as any food, beverage, or engineered food-like item that is made primarily from substances extracted from foods (such as refined sugars, refined grains/starches, and refined oils) and/or containing industrially manufactured chemical additives”.