The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the cornerstone of Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. Since 1980, the Guidelines have been jointly issued and updated every 5 years by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). Unlike previous editions, the 1995 edition of the Dietary Guidelines became the first mandated by statute under Public Law 101-445, Section 3 (7 U.S.C. 5341, the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990, Title III) which directs the Secretaries of USDA and HHS to issue jointly at least every 5 years a report entitled Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In 1993, the Secretaries of HHS and USDA selected 11 nutrition scientists and physicians to serve on the 1995 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The Committee was responsible for reviewing and updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 1990. The Committee believed that the previous seven guidelines remained sound, but concluded that some revision to the third edition of the Guidelines was warranted.


Publications

After a year of review and 3 meetings, the Committee submitted their final report to HHS and USDA: Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 1995.

In December 1995, the Secretaries of USDA and HHS released a 43-page booklet entitled, Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which became the 4th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Last Modified: March 14, 2012 02:16 PM