ASN seeks transparency in the scientific process behind the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Media contact: Sarah Ohlhorst, MS, RD, ASN Chief Science Policy Officer, 240-428-3647 or (email protected)
Rockville, MD (January 9, 2026) – The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) supports the newly published broad eating pattern Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), 2025-2030, which emphasizes minimally processed, nutritious foods and limits sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, which have been linked to improved long-term health outcomes. Dietary approaches that focus on whole foods and reduce reliance on highly processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages have proven health benefits.
At the same time, ASN is concerned that a departure from the established scientific review process undermines trust in DGA and food science, promotes confusion and mistrust, and obscures opportunities for meaningful scientific discourse.
The decision to introduce a separate Science Foundation for Dietary Guidelines for Americans to replace the 2025 Nutrition Advisory Committee (DGAC) Science Report represents a major departure from the DGA’s long-standing evidence-review process. There is a lack of transparency regarding the methods, approaches and objectives of the newly introduced scientific interpretations and their deadlines. This process differs from the National Academies of Sciences Gold Standard, which is recommended to strengthen public and other stakeholder confidence in the guidelines.(1).
The Science Foundation’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans report questions both the scientific review process and the conclusions in the DGAC’s 2025 Science Report. For past editions of DGAs, the DGAC Scientific Report has served as the primary basis for developing the Guidelines. This report is based on a rigorous and transparent review of the evidence conducted by an independent panel of experts. ASN supports the work of DGAC, which has carefully reviewed the science and made evidence-based recommendations in response to specific research questions vetted by HHS, USDA, and public stakeholders. The DGAC includes many talented ASN members and food scientists who have volunteered considerable time and effort to review and analyze the evidence in collaboration with HHS and USDA colleagues. ASN also supports the distinguished ASN members who served as scientific review authors on the Science Foundation’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans report and recognizes the considerable time and effort they provided to review and analyze the latest evidence.
Bypassing the established scientific review process for the Guidelines reduces the risk that confidence in the recommendations and the science that supports them can lead to public misunderstanding of the dietary guidelines. Additionally, oversimplifying the Guidelines in ways that introduce conflicting messaging is likely to further confuse consumers. For example, the DGAC scientific review found strong evidence that eating less saturated fat reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults. While the 2025-2030 DGAs maintain the long-standing recommendation that saturated fat be limited to 10% of calories, they also promote greater consumption of certain foods high in saturated fat, such as butter and beef. This mixed messaging can be difficult for consumers to interpret and inadvertently make it more difficult for Americans to maintain long-term health.
ASN supports nutrition guidance that is based on science, clearly explains how the evidence has been reviewed, and helps people make informed decisions about their health. To improve public health, dietary guidelines must be implemented, and they must be applicable to the entire US population. Guidelines that lead to real health changes must also be supported by policies and food environments that make healthy choices easier and more accessible for everyone.
ASN is encouraged that both reports highlight the need for continued investment in nutrition research to provide Americans with evidence-based nutrition guidance. The newly released DGA highlights chronic underfunding of nutrition research and insufficient coordination among federal, state, local, and private partners. Increased targeted funding for diet-related chronic disease research at the USDA, CDC, and NIH will allow for future evidence-based dietary guidelines. ASN is committed to advocating transparent, evidence-based, and scientific processes for developing nutritional guidelines that maintain scientific rigor and integrity and public trust.
(1) National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine; Department of Health and Medicine; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Process optimization for establishing dietary guidelines for Americans: a selection process. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (USA); 2017 November 16. 4, Opportunities to build confidence. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK469945/
