Feb. 18, 2016 – The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) – the eighth iteration of the report that serves as the cornerstone of nutrition policy – were released to much fanfare in January. The new DGAs call for all sectors of society to rally together and “create a new paradigm” in which healthful choices are “easy, accessible, affordable, and normative.”
This means the food industry has an opportunity to help Americans achieve healthier eating patterns through product innovation or renovation, health and nutrition education and community wellness initiatives.
FoodMinds highlighted opportunities for the food industry to work with other sectors of society to make the healthy choice, the easy choice in a number of key forums:
In the United States…
Food Processing: Byline by Bill Layden, FoodMinds partner and co-founder – “One of the most significant developments is the focus on overall healthy eating patterns and a recognition that consumers need to shift food choices to achieve diets that are closer to healthy eating patterns.”
O’Dwyer’s: “‘As it turns out, one size does not fit all, and this shift recognizes a need to tailor and apply an individual’s needs in order to achieve overall healthy eating patterns.'” – Bill Layden
Food Navigator: “This is a great call to action and a clear opportunity for food and beverage manufacturers to be part of the solution to achieve these healthy dietary patterns.'” – Bill Layden
Sue Pitman
IFT Food Tech Perspectives: Byline by Sue Pitman, FoodMinds partner and co-founder – “While there is still emphasis on certain nutrients, this time around, the DGAs urge Americans to make small shifts or swaps in their food choices to achieve an overall healthier eating pattern and provide specific, practical examples to do so.”
Food Technology: The monthly infographic “Food Snapshots” features FoodMinds’ analysis.
Today’s Dietitian: Byline by Sarah Levy, MPH, RD, FoodMinds Vice President – “The DGA call for all sectors of society to help “create a new paradigm” in which healthful choices are “easy, accessible, affordable, and normative.”
And around the world…
Chinese Nutrition Society – Dr. Yang Yuexin 杨月欣, President, Chinese Nutrition Society, and her team translated the FoodMinds infographic into Chinese for the benefit of CNS’s 18,000 members and the broader nutrition community in China.
Food Ingredients First: “‘[The DGAs] present a clear opportunity for the industry to get creative in incorporating vegetables, fruits and dairy into individual food products as well as meal solutions.'” – Bill Layden
Food in Canada: “Following the release of the new U.S. dietary guidelines, Chicago-based FoodMinds LLC did a word content analysis of the guidelines since 1980.”