Nutrition For Mortals Can We Trust Our Dietary Guidelines? (Part 1: Before the Pyramid)
Dec 11, 2024
The discussion dives into the history of U.S. dietary guidelines, revealing the complex influences of big food and agriculture over the past century. The hosts explore early nutrition bulletins, the introduction of food groups, and wartime nutrition graphics. Controversies around the government’s shifting dietary messages, particularly during the McGovern Committee's push against cholesterol and saturated fats, ignite debate about trust in nutrition policy. Get ready for an eye-opening look at how guidelines have evolved and the pressures that shaped them!
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Guidelines Serve Programs More Than Individuals
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are published every five years and primarily target professionals and federal programs rather than the general public.
- They shape school meals, WIC, and other programs, so their influence extends far beyond advice into millions of meals served.
The First Federal Nutrition Pamphlet
- In 1894 the USDA mailed Farmer's Bulletin No. 23 titled Foods: Nutritive Value and Cost written by Wilbur O. Atwater.
- It explained digestion and warned Americans they ate "too much fat, starch, and sugar" while lacking protein.
Nutrition Advice Blended With Thrift Early On
- USDA bulletins shifted from technical metabolism explanations to practical food-group guidance for housekeepers by 1917.
- Early federal guidance already balanced nutrition with thrift, recommending cereals as economical staples.
