Pay up, fatso

The DGAC, which has helped set the standards for well-known dietary models such as the food pyramid and the dinner plate, consists of 15 experts in the fields of nutrition and health. They review the current scientific evidence and use their expertise to recommend ways to restructure the guidelines.

But DGAC plans to go beyond this role and make specific legislative recommendations, said a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“There is a lot of suggestive language in 2010 guidelines, but nothing that must be taken authoritatively,” noted Joy Dubost, herself a registered dietician.

Although USDA has not publicly stated any specific legislative changes it might call for — nor did it respond to a request from RCP for comment — Dubost suspects the proposals may be related to sugar-sweetened beverages and could involve a soda tax or ban. Her belief stems from the discussions at previous committee meetings this year that added sugar should make up no more than 10 percent of daily calorie intake.

What’s more, DGAC is also looking into a “sustainability” diet for the first time, Dubost says. The idea of a sustainable diet involves eating less meat and dairy products and shifting toward a plant-based diet in order to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.

“That’s the new wave, making recommendations for a nutritional food system that involves a plant-based diet,” Dubost said. “No other committee has done that.”