PediatricDigest: Latest from Food Politics: Weekend reading: Dietary Guidelines from the food industry's perspective

By Marion Nestle

February 20 2026

Weekend reading: Dietary Guidelines from the food industry’s perspective

I subscribe to lots of food industry newsletters from the William Reed company, all of them written by top-notch reporters who cover topics thoroughly and accurately. They write about things food companies need to know about. I do too. I find them invaluable.

For example: It would never have occurred to me to consider how the guidelines might affect forced labor in the food supply chain.

This collection of articles on the new dietary guidelines comes from FoodNavigator-USA.

Why the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines need a ‘mulligan’ – and how to fix them: This isn’t a food fight, it’s a structural failure, according to experts who say the new US Dietary Guidelines need a reset, not another round of compromises… Read more
‘Highly-processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’? New dietary guidelines reignite a definitional food fight: The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans avoid the term “ultra-processed foods,” prompting both praise and criticism… Read more
Ultra-processed food fears mount even as consumer understanding about it lags: Americans increasingly factor processing into food choices, but inconsistent definitions and tradeoffs around convenience and cost leave room for clearer communication, according to new IFIC research… Read more
How the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines are shifting America’s plate – and sparking debate: The newest Dietary Guidelines emphasize whole foods, protein and animal fats – a shift praised by some experts as overdue, but others warn the report is retro and insufficient… Read more
What ‘healthy’ means to Americans is changing, and so should marketing: Consumers want healthier food but struggle to trust nutrition information, creating both challenges and opportunities for brands, according to new data from the International Food Information Council… Read more
How the Dietary Guidelines may shape product strategy and development: The latest Dietary Guidelines may not reinvent the wheel, but they offer manufacturers a roadmap to balance nutrition, consumer preference and formulation strategy across sweeteners, grains and processed foods, according to one expert… Read more
Federal diet guidelines accused of bowing to Big Meat: Doctors and nutrition advocates say new Dietary Guidelines for Americans sideline science in favor of meat and dairy industry… Read more
2026 beef trends: How new Dietary Guidelines are shaping protein demand: Dietary guidance, convenience-driven meals and emerging trends like beef tallow may open new avenues for innovation in beef… Read more
US Dietary Guidelines sideline MyPlate in favor of inverted food pyramid: The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans spotlight an inverted food pyramid, effectively sidelining MyPlate and sparking debate among nutrition experts and educators… Read more
Study finds dietary guidelines linked to forced labor risks in supply chain: Seafood, dairy and red meat carry a higher risk of forced labor, according to a new Tufts and University of Nottingham study that maps labor exploitation across popular US diets… Read more

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