Guidelines for healthy eating

Only since the 1940s has the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine provided recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for Americans, and not until 1993 were the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) supplied. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was launched in the 1960s for the purpose of monitoring the dietary intake of the US population on a regular basis and identifying nutrients of concern. These data now represent the backbone of ongoing dietary surveillance in this country. In 1980, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published the first US Dietary Guidelines for Americans that are reviewed and updated every 5 years. The NHANES data help to measure population-wide adherence to these guidelines as well as provide evidence of nutrient inadequacies and excesses. With advances in diet assessment methodology and biostatistical analyses, research has provided evidence beyond single nutrients to include whole foods, food groups, and even eating patterns. These data juxtaposed with technological advances in measuring biomarkers, metabolites, and the microbiome offer and ever-increasing awareness of the importance of diet and eating behaviors in achieving optimal health and reducing risk for chronic diseases. A review of current dietary guidelines based on extensive systematic reviews conducted by major national health and medical organizations is provided and their commonalities and differences are discussed.