Nutrition Guidelines To Promote And Maintain Health

For decades national nutrition guidelines have been developed to promote and maintain population health. In the United States, federal nutrition and health policies are far-reaching. They influence and shape nutrition programs, services and research priorities; healthcare and public health systems as well as other sectors such as food and agriculture. Dietary Reference Intakes and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are the primary sources of nutrition guidance and strategies to promote health at individual and population levels. The 2015–2020 DGAs base their recommendations on the most current, sound research evidence on nutrition and health and published clinical practice guidelines on disease prevention and health promotion. They also acknowledge that nutrition and other lifestyle behaviors are influenced by many factors operating at individual, socio-cultural, environmental, multisectoral and policy levels. As such, public health approaches that target individuals, communities, public policies, and environments are recommended to promote healthful dietary patterns and physical activity. Alliances and partnerships across multiple sectors are needed to facilitate changes such that healthy lifestyle choices become normative behaviors. Achieving healthful dietary patterns and physical activity that meet the 2015–2020 DGAs will reduce risks for major chronic diseases and promote wide-ranging favorable health outcomes.