Health Update: Health Update: RFK Jr. announces new dietary guidelines for 2026 – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
RFK Jr. announces new dietary guidelines
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new dietary guidelines, saying his message is clear: eat real food.
The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines, announced Jan. 7 by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., include recommendations for more protein, less sugar and ultra-processed foods. The guidelines also loosen restrictions on alcoholic drinks.
In a White House press briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the announcement was aligned with President Trump’s domestic promise to “Make American Healthy Again.”
“As secretary of Health and Human Services, my message is clear: eat real food,” Kennedy said, calling the revised food pyramid the “most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.”
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the new guidelines encourage households and schools to prioritize whole nutrient-dense foods.
“That means more protein, more dairy, more healthy fats, more whole grains, more fruits and vegetables, whether they are fresh, frozen, canned or dry. We are finally putting real food back at the center of the American diet,” she said.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture publish the guidelines jointly every five years. The updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which influence school lunches, medical advice and nutrition standards, have been anticipated since summer.
Focus on ultra-processed foods, sugar
The updated guidelines do not change long-standing saturated fat advice, as some previously expected. Instead, they focus on sugar and ultra-processed foods.
“We are ending the war on saturated fats,” Kennedy added. “Today, our government declares war on added sugar.”
Ultra-processed foods are factory-made formulations produced largely from refined ingredients, additives (including colorings and preservatives) and little-to-no whole foods.
Using artificial flavors and sweeteners, these foods are designed for more addictive, palatable tastes and longer shelf life. They’re typically higher in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, and devoid of nutrients and fiber.
Kennedy said federal policy “turned a blind eye to the disastrous consequences” of promoting and subsidizing highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates.
“New guidelines recognize that whole nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower health care costs,” Kennedy said.
In the United States, more than half of the calories consumed at home by both adults and children come from ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, according to a 2025 analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Ingesting UPFs has been associated with more than 30 health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, mental health disorders and obesity. A diet heavy in UPFs has also been linked to a greater risk of arthritis and increased fat within thigh muscles.
Though UPFs are unhealthy, they tend to be inexpensive and more accessible to many populations compared to whole foods.
Rollins said eating healthy can be less expensive for Americans, according to their estimations.
“The challenge is the access to those healthy foods, especially in parts of America where they have food deserts,” she said.
Kennedy said the idea of processed food being cheap is “an illusion. “
“You’re paying or it on the back end,” he said. “You’re paying for it with diabetes with obesity with illness.”
More meat on the menu
Protein was another hot topic during the announcement, with Kennedy calling for Americans to eat more meat.
“Proteins and healthy fats are essential, and were wrongly discourage in prior dietary guidelines,” he said.
The problem with pushing for more meats is that they’re not all equally healthy. High consumption of red meat, for example, comes with health risks, including links to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Revised alcohol recommendations
The new recommendations also removed restrictions on alcoholic drinks, which previously advised limiting intake to one to two drinks daily.
“I don’t think you should drink alcohol, but it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “There’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.”
Reactions from health organizations
In a press release Tuesday, the American Medical Association applauded the new guidelines for “spotlighting the highly processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and excess sodium that fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.”
AMA President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala added the guidelines “affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health.”
The American Heart Association commended several aspects of the new guidelines, including an emphasis on increasing intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains while limiting added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods and sugary drinks.
But the organization also shared some concerns when it came to red meat, saying in a press release it could “inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease.”
“While the guidelines highlight whole-fat dairy, the Heart Association encourages consumption of low-fat and fat-free dairy products, which can be beneficial to heart health,” the AHA added.
Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, Stephen J. Beard and Carlie Procell, USA TODAY