Updated US Department of Agriculture Food Patterns Meet Goals of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines

• Published in: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2012-10, Vol.112 (10), p.1648-1655
• Main Authors: Britten, Patricia, PhD, Cleveland, Linda E., MS, RD, Koegel, Kristin L., MBA, RD, Kuczynski, Kevin J., MS, RD, Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M., PhD, RD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Americans; beans; Biological and medical sciences; Consumer Health Information; Dairy Products; Diet - standards; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Dietary Guidelines; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; eating habits; energy; Energy Intake; Feeding. Feeding behavior; food choices; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Health Promotion; healthy diet; Humans; Internal Medicine; lipids; milk; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Sciences - education; Nutritive Value; ovo-lacto vegetarian diet; poultry meat; protein sources; seafoods; soymilk; sugars; United States; United States Department of Agriculture; USDA; vegan diet; Vegetables; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 2212-2672; 2212-2680
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.05.021

Abstract The US Department of Agriculture Food Patterns were updated for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to meet new nutrition goals and incorporate results of food pattern modeling requested by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The purpose of this article is to describe the process used and changes in the updated patterns. Changes include renaming the Meat and Beans and Milk Groups to the Protein Foods and Dairy Groups, respectively, to be more encompassing of foods in each. Vegetable subgroups now provide more achievable intake recommendations. Calcium-fortified soymilk is now included in the Dairy Group because of its similarity to foods in that group. Increased amounts of seafoods are recommended in the Protein Foods Group, balanced by decreased amounts of meat and poultry. A limit on calories from solid fats and added sugars is included, replacing the previous discretionary calorie allowance and emphasizing the need to choose nutrient-dense forms of foods. Lacto-ovo vegetarian and vegan patterns that meet nutrition goals were created by making substitutions in the Protein Foods Group, and for vegan patterns, in the Dairy Group. Patterns identify food choices that meet nutritional needs within energy allowances and encourage choosing a variety of foods. They rely on foods in nutrient-dense forms, including a limited amount of calories from solid fats and added sugars. The Food Patterns provide a useful template for educating consumers about healthful food choices while highlighting a large gap between choices many Americans make and healthy eating patterns.