Moderation lessons from new U.S. diet guide

January 28, 2026

key points from this story:

• New U.S. dietary guidelines released
• Concerns over political interference in report
• Advice includes reducing processed foods
• Author recalls grandparents’ balanced diet
• Modern lifestyles differ from past generations
• Personal responsibility in eating emphasized

The 2025-30 Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released recently, and as one might suspect given its release is at a time the United States is under the rule of President Donald Trump – meaning a general deluge of question data rolling out – it has ag groups working hard to determine what exactly it may mean. The guidelines are prepared jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but the Trump administration has not been shy to meddle and bully to get what should be independent reports to fall under their leadership vision.

And, frankly when it comes to health, current U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr does not instill the greatest confidence from afar. So this is one of those things when in a world of immediate access thanks to the Internet like we are which really suggests a deeper dive before simply switching eating habits based on the new release.