ICYMI: Last week, on January 19, the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee convened for its fourth official meeting. While members had planned to meet in person once again, the meeting was ultimately held virtually due to winter weather concerns in the Maryland region. The meeting was livestreamed for members of the press and public and a recording of meeting is now available.
The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Stacy Dean, Deputy Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Both leaders recognized the one-year anniversary of the Committee’s appointment and commended members for their continued work of evaluating nutrition data through a health equity lens.
Co-chairs Booth, PhD and Angela Odoms-Young, PhD then provided an update of the Committee’s progress since its last official meeting in September, followed by Sameera Talegawkar, PhD’s update on their Health Equity Working Group. The remainder of the meeting consisted of presentations from Subcommittee members addressing scientific questions on the following topics: food pattern modeling and data analysis, strategies for individuals and families related to diet quality and weight management, dietary patterns and specific dietary components across life stages, and diet in pregnancy and birth through adolescence. At the conclusion of each Subcommittee member’s presentation, additional time was allowed for questions and broader Committee discussion.
Comprised of 20 nationally recognized nutrition science and public health experts, the Committee provides independent, science-based advice and recommendations to be considered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the development of the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines. Through the end of this year, the Committee will rigorously review and evaluate all available scientific research and data using three approaches: data analysis, food pattern modeling, and systematic reviews. Upon completion, they will release a scientific report detailing their findings. They will also submit their recommendations to HHS and USDA, which will inform the development of the tenth edition of the Dietary Guidelines.
The fifth public meeting of the Committee is scheduled for May 30, 2024. More details on how to view the livestream of Meeting 5 will be made available on DietaryGuidelines.gov. The Committee continues to accept written public comments throughout the entirety of its work. More information on how to submit written comments can be found on DietaryGuidelines.gov.
