Dietary Guidelines: an effective tool for reducing the risk of chronic disease? (Scientific update: a review of recent scientific papers related to vegetarianism).

The most recent edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans was published in 2000 by the USDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Dietary Guidelines consist of 10 recommendations to reduce risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Several recent studies have examined whether people who adhere to these guidelines really do have a reduced risk of chronic disease. Harnack and co-workers found that adherence to the guidelines specifically related to diet had little effect on cancer incidence; a reduction in cancer incidence was only seen in people who met the guidelines to aim for a healthy weight and be physically active each day. McCullough and other researchers with the American Cancer Society and Harvard University criticize the Dietary Guidelines for promoting dairy and meat intake and calling for an excessively high carbohydrate intake. They call for revising the Dietary Guidelines so that they recommend limiting red and processed meats and promote diets high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

McCullough ML, Stampfer MJ. 2002. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and cancer risk in women: still a long way to go. Am J Clin Nutr 76:701-2.

Harnack L, Nicodemus K, Jacobs DR, Jr, Folsom AR. 2002. An evaluation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in relation to cancer occurrence. Am J Clin Nutr 76:889-96.

McCullough ML, Feskanich D, Stampfer MJ, et al. 2002. Diet quality and major chronic disease risk in men and women: moving toward improved dietary guidance. Am J Clin Nutr 76:1261-71.