Food pyramid backlash: Low-fat era may have fueled obesity and diabetes, doctor says
NEWNow you can listen to News articles!
The Trump administration’s January launch of the new inverted food pyramid has sparked some debate in nutrition circles, as it places greater emphasis on dairy, red meat and high-fat foods.
The top of the pyramid, now the widest part of the structure, is built on meat, fats, fruits and vegetables, while whole grains are found at the narrow base.
In an interview with News Digital, Dr. Mark Hyman, co-founder of Function Health and author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored,” commented on the backlash the new guidelines have received.
HEALTH EXPERTS REACT AS ANDREW HUBERMAN ENDORSES TRUMP ADMIN’S NEW FOOD PYRAMID
“The pyramid is just a graphical representation of the content… and it’s really impossible to create a proper image that will satisfy everyone,” the Massachusetts-based expert said. “Could it have been better? Sure.”
While acknowledging there is room for improvement, Hyman, host of “The Dr. Hyman Show” podcast, praised the new model for focusing on what has been driving obesity in the United States.
The new nutritional food pyramid shows the previous orientation reversed in an inverted structure. (realfood.gov)
“Did it flip the script on what we used to have, which was a set of low-fat, high-carbohydrate government recommendations that caused obesity, the diabetes epidemic, and all the resulting costs and consequences on society?” asked. “Yeah, we needed to fix that.”
WHOLE MILK RETURNED TO SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AFTER TRUMP SIGNS BILL AS EXPERTS TOUT BENEFITS
In his new book, Hyman writes that a central component of U.S. dietary policy is what Americans are told to eat and why.
“I think it was a good step in the right direction.”
The doctor highlighted key updates to the US dietary guidelines, including a greater emphasis on whole foods, limits on highly processed products and sugary drinks, and revised protein recommendations to “reflect current science.”
“This is revolutionary,” Hyman said.
Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored.” (Health Function; Small, Brown Spark)
The updated pyramid also recommends consuming whole grains, while previous guidance gave the green light to portioned white flour, which the doctor says is not optimal for human health.
The guidelines are “a little more protein-oriented” than before, Hyman noted, and place less emphasis on low-fat and fat-free dairy. The expert described the low-fat movement as “problematic.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“The data doesn’t support it,” he said. “Maybe it was even the opposite: There was some evidence that children who consumed low-fat or fat-free milk actually had more problems with obesity because it wasn’t as satisfying.”
The doctor highlighted key updates to the US dietary guidelines, including a greater emphasis on whole foods, limits on highly processed products and sugary drinks, and revised protein recommendations to “reflect current science.” (iStock)
“In general, I think [the guidelines are] a big improvement,” Hyman said. “Are they perfect? No. Were there problems? Yes. But it’s a radical change from what it was and I think it was a good step in the right direction.”
Many Americans struggle with a variety of health conditions that may require specialized diets, such as high cholesterol, inflammation, or lactose intolerance.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Hyman noted that if he had written the guidelines himself, he would have specified that dairy is not a mandatory recommendation.
“There is no scientific evidence that humans need it,” he said. “It’s a perfectly good choice if you want to do it.”
Dairy consumption should be a “personalized choice” based on how it affects a person, the doctor said. (iStock)
Dairy consumption should be a “personalized choice” based on how it affects a person, the doctor said, adding that it would be “problematic” guidance to tell Americans they should choose three servings per day.
“It needs to be understood that 75% of the population is lactose intolerant, that many people have inflammatory or other problems as a result of consuming dairy, and it needs to be a personalized choice based on how it affects them.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE News APP
Protein consumption also requires a level of customization, the expert said, particularly for those with certain medical conditions, such as kidney failure.
TRY OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“[The government] could have made more nuanced statements about aging and longevity… and [around] “You need more protein when you’re older, when you’re sick, etc.,” Hyman added. “I think there are some nuances there that could have been underlined.”
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for News Digital.