In a major revision of federal nutrition policy, the United States has released its updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025–2030, introducing sweeping recommendations aimed at reshaping how millions of Americans eat and drink. Announced on January 7, 2026, by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. alongside officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the new guidelines mark the most significant reset of national dietary advice in years and signal a shift in how the government approaches public nutrition.
At the heart of the updated policy is a strong emphasis on increasing consumption of whole, nutrient-rich foods while sharply reducing dependence on ultra-processed products and added sugars. The guidance urges Americans to make “real food” the cornerstone of their diets — including more lean proteins, whole grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats — in an effort to counter widespread diet-related health issues such as obesity, prediabetes and chronic disease. According to government data cited in the guidelines, more than 70% of U.S. adults are classified as overweight or obese, with nearly one in three adolescents showing signs of prediabetes, underscoring the urgency behind the overhaul.
One of the most controversial elements of the new guidance is the removal of specific daily alcohol consumption limits that appeared in previous editions. Historically, the U.S. dietary guidelines recommended that women consume no more than one alcoholic drink per day and men no more than two; these figures served as official benchmarks for moderate drinking. Under the revised document, these fixed limits have been eliminated. Instead, the guidelines offer a broader admonition encouraging Americans to “consume less alcohol for better health,” while recommending that certain groups — including pregnant women, individuals recovering from alcohol use disorders and those unable to control their intake — avoid alcoholic beverages altogether.
The change to alcohol guidance has drawn mixed reactions. Some federal officials argue the adjustment is not a dramatic departure from past advice, framing it as a flexible approach that avoids rigid numerical caps. Public health advocates, however, have raised concerns that removing clear daily limits could unintentionally signal that higher consumption is acceptable, potentially undermining efforts to curb alcohol-related harm. Health organisations such as the World Health Organization have highlighted research linking even moderate alcohol use to increased risks for certain cancers and other health problems, reinforcing the complexity of balancing guidance with scientific evidence.
In addition to alcohol and whole foods, the updated guidelines address sugar intake more stringently. They recommend that added sugars be avoided or limited to very low amounts, suggesting that no single meal contain more than 10 grams (approximately two teaspoons) of added sugar. This guidance is stricter than the previous recommendation, which advised keeping added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories.
The protein recommendations have also been re-evaluated, with officials advocating for increased daily intake — around 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight — reflecting a broader shift away from past emphasis on minimum requirements and toward optimal nutrition for metabolic health. The guidelines further recommend daily servings of three vegetables and two fruits, and two to four servings of whole grains, to support balanced diets.
These federal guidelines, updated every five years, carry wide-ranging implications. They inform not only individual dietary choices but also influence government-funded nutrition programs, school meals, health care recommendations and labeling standards. The release of the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines represents a pivotal moment in U.S. public health policy, underscoring the government’s attempt to tackle persistent nutrition challenges with fresh, though sometimes contested, guidance.
