Every five years, the U.S. government sets new recommendations about what foods and beverages Americans should choose. The last version of the Dietary Guidelines, released in 2010, recommended that all Americans nine and older should eat or drink three servings of low- fat and fat-free dairy each day. It also recommended that people consume less sodium, fewer added sugars and less solid fats, including saturated fat. But when nutrition researchers examine people’s diets, there’s a big difference between the Dietary Guidelines and how Americans actually eat. The Healthy Eating Index.was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to rate how closely people’s food choices align with the Dietary Guidelines. When compared to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, Americans only meet the Dietary Guidelines’ recommendations for protein foods. Read more here. Nestle USA has conducted its own research and found that, on average, Americans meet the Dietary Guidelines less than two percent of the time, or about seven days a year. In response to this finding, Nestle USA has launched “Balance Your Plate” to encourage healthy eating. The “Balance Your Plate” resources are intended to help health professionals educate people about MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines. Work on the next version of the Dietary Guidelines, due in 2015, will soon begin in earnest. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) will begin meeting this spring or summer to review nutritional research and identify the healthiest eating plans for the American population. They will be looking for evidence to make recommendations regarding the types of foods Americans should eat more of and the types of foods and nutrients they should limit. I will be monitoring the meetings of the DGAC and working with IDFA’s Nutrition Working Group to draft any comments on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines. You can check for updates on www.dietaryguidelines.gov or contact me at amfoodnutrition@idfa.org to join the Nutrition Working Group.