Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DALLAS - The government released official dietary recommendations Wednesday, revising an eating plan that would make Americans healthier - if they only followed it.
Though largely ignored by a fast-food loving, remote-clicking public, the document nonetheless has tremendous power: As the official position of the federal government, Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 will dictate the content of school lunches, federal food assistance programs and government education efforts, and can set the agenda for medical research.
A remodeled food pyramid - or whatever shape it may take - will be unveiled later this year.
The guidelines, with a new emphasis on calorie control and physical activity, contain few surprises.
"It's common sense, and I don't know how many more times we have to say it," said Tommy Thompson, U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. The recommendations are a product of HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nutrition experts, some of whom have been skeptical of the government's food advice, generally praised the new report.
"They look to me like they're the strongest guidelines we've produced," said Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the famous "food police" consumer group. In particular, he praised the new promotion on getting calories from fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Among other points, the government cautioned people to watch for hidden sugars and trans fats in processed foods. The report also recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day.
Thompson had a message for those holding out for a quick fix to a lifetime of poor choices: Ain't gonna happen. "There's not going to be pill."
---
(c) 2005, The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service.
