By RFK will have a lot of work to do. The nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services has promised to take on the epidemic of chronic diseases that he claims is hurting Americans.
Politico noted last week that “if confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would be responsible for naming some of the people tasked with rewriting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one of the federal government’s most powerful tools to shape public perceptions about what’s healthy — and what’s not. It may ultimately be one of his best shots at reining in the ultra-processed foods and food additives that he blames for making Americans sick.
The foundation of the iconic “food pyramid” (since replaced by a multi-color plate), the Dietary Guidelines appear on posters in doctors’ offices, are taught in classrooms and shape how the government spends billions of dollars buying food for federal nutrition assistance programs, school meals and more. The guidelines, updated every five years, can’t mandate people to eat healthier, or force food makers to drop certain ingredients. But unlike binding rule changes, they also don’t have to undergo a yearslong regulatory review process and near-certain legal challenges.
‘If you’re going to have leadership that wants to think about shaking up health and nutrition and thinking about how the government holistically gives advice about nutrition … the Dietary Guidelines are a pretty one-stop shop,” said Sarah Gallo, top lobbyist at the Consumer Brands Association, which represents packaged food companies and major alcohol makers. The timing of Kenndy’s nomination, she added, “is sort of perfect for that.’
Kennedy has made clear that he wants to make aggressive changes to the food system, but his perch at HHS wouldn’t give him direct influence over many aspects of food policy, which is largely overseen by the Agriculture Department. The Dietary Guidelines are one policy area, however, where the two agencies work together, first appointing an external Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, an influential expert panel that reviews the latest nutrition science to inform the guidelines, and then overseeing the group of federal staffers updating the guidelines, themselves.”
By law, HHS and USDA must complete the 2025 revision of the guidelines by the end of next year, but now it looks like Biden beat him to the punch.
In a significant policy update, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has redefined the standards for labeling foods as “healthy” for the first time in 30 years. This change reflects modern nutritional science and aims to combat the rising prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
The revised guidelines eliminate many ultra-processed foods—such as white bread and sugary cereals—from the “healthy” category. In contrast, nutrient-dense foods like salmon, eggs, avocados, and olive oil now qualify for the label. Additionally, water, often underemphasized in nutritional conversations, is officially recognized as a “healthy” choice under the new criteria.
More than 80% of people in the U.S. aren’t eating enough vegetables, fruit, dairy, and seafood, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. And most people consume too much saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. These dietary patterns can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and overweight and obesity. Racial and ethnic minority groups, those with lower socioeconomic status, and those living in rural areas, and other underserved communities disproportionately experience these diet-related chronic diseases compared to the overall population, the agency explained.
To help consumers identify foods that are particularly useful in building healthy dietary patterns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated the definition of the “healthy” nutrient content claim, which includes criteria a food must meet to use the “healthy” claim on the package. The FDA also is exploring the development of a symbol to represent the claim “healthy” to make it easier to spot foods that can be the foundation of healthy eating patterns.
“The FDA recognizes that diet-related diseases, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are the leading cause of disability and disease in the United States and contribute to America’s status of having the lowest life expectancy amongst large, high-income countries,” Jim Jones, the director of the agency’s food division, said during a news conference announcing the changes. He added, “We also know that food labeling can be a powerful tool for change.”
As part of the initiative, the FDA also plans to introduce a standardized front-of-package symbol for foods meeting the updated criteria. This symbol aims to streamline the shopping experience, enabling consumers to quickly identify products aligned with the revised nutritional standards.
The new rules are rooted in the Biden Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, unveiled at a 2022 conference. Under the voluntary system, qualifying foods must include meaningful amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, or protein while staying within limits for added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats.
However, the guidelines are not without controversy. Critics have raised concerns about potential ideological biases influencing the criteria rather than relying solely on scientific evidence. Others question whether a voluntary labeling system and a new symbol will significantly alter consumer behavior.
Over the next three years, the FDA will phase in the new guidelines, and their impact will be closely monitored. Policymakers, industry lobbyists, and public health advocates will all play a role in determining whether these updates succeed in driving meaningful changes in America’s dietary habits. Ultimately, the success of these reforms will depend not only on FDA enforcement but also on broader cultural and systemic shifts in how the U.S. prioritizes public health
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