Americans should halve their consumption of added sugars — the sweeteners that go into food or drink during processing and cooking — and men should limit themselves to one drink a day, said a panel of experts helping the government update its advice on healthful diets. The advisory committee report, published on Wednesday, is expected to provide the scientific foundation for a new edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, scheduled for publication late this year.
The committee said “a dietary pattern that is nutritionally adequate while avoiding excess energy intake from added sugars” would limit them to less than 6 percent of daily calories, compared to the 13 percent that is now the U.S. average. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommended a limit of 10 percent. “Evidence suggests that adverse effects of added sugars, particularly from SSB (sugar-sweetened beverages), may contribute to unhealthy weight gain and obesity-related health outcomes.”
At the moment, the guidelines say that if alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation — up to one drink a day for women and two a day for men. If the committee’s advice is accepted, the recommended limits for the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines would become one drink per day for both men and women on days when alcohol is consumed. A drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof alcohol.
The USDA and the FDA share responsibility for drafting the guidelines. They “will leverage the scientific advice in the committee’s report, as well as comments from the public and other federal agencies, to develop the upcoming edition of the dietary guidelines,” said the USDA. A hearing was set for Aug. 11 for public comment. The target for publishing the new edition of the Dietary Guidelines is late December.
The guidelines, which have been issued since 1980, recommend the increased intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, low- or no-fat dairy, lean meat and poultry, seafood, nuts, and unsaturated vegetable oils. They also recommend decreased consumption of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, and refined grains, which the committee said are associated with detrimental health outcomes.
Most Americans, in contrast to the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines, eat too much — 70 percent are overweight or obese — and they consume more saturated fats, added sugars, and salt than suggested and not enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
“In particular, we are pleased that the committee’s report makes strong recommendations to further reduce intake of added sugars and limit alcoholic beverages,” said former agriculture secretaries Dan Glickman and Ann Veneman, co-chairs of a “prevention” initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank. “Added sugars provide extra calories without any nutrients and contribute to the obesity epidemic. Alcohol use increases the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, along with mental health issues and accidents.”
The World Health Organization calls for a lower sugar intake than the Dietary Guidelines. In 2015, the WHO recommended that less than 10 percent of daily calories come from free sugars — a category that includes added sugars and sugar already in honey, syrup, and fruit juice — to reduce the risk of tooth decay, obesity, and overweight. “A further reduction to below 5 percent, or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day, would provide additional health benefits,” said the WHO.
Five weeks ago, the American Cancer Society updated its advice on diet. “Staying at a healthy weight, staying active throughout life, following a healthy eating pattern, and avoiding or limiting alcohol may greatly reduce a person’s lifetime risk of developing or dying from cancer,” said the society. “At least 18 percent of all cancer cases in the United States are related to a combination of these factors.”
The advisory committee report is available here.
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines is available here.