Health News
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Health News
Health care professionals strongly endorse new federal dietary guidelines, which say to eat less red and processed meat
A group of 700 physicians and other health care professionals sent a letter of strong endorsement to the secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services praising the recommended federal dietary guidelines that emphasize eating less red and processed meat, Whitney Forman-Cook reports for Agri-Pulse, a Washington newsletter.
The letter said the ?shift toward a more plant-based diet? in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's recommendations is a potentially ?powerful tool for health promotion? that would help reduce healthcare costs, Forman-Cook writes.
?Three of the four leading causes of preventable death, heart disease, cancer, and stroke -- are diet-related,? the letter reads. ?Heavy meat consumption, especially red and processed meat, is associated with increased risks of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, while plant-based diets are associated with decreased risks of all three.?
They also noted that 75 percent of U.S. health-care costs and diminished labor supply and worker productivity is caused by chronic and preventable diseases, costing the country "$1 trillion in lost economic output and billions more in rising healthcare cost," Forman-Cook writes.
For the first time, the guidelines include environmental standards and sustainability language. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack "has not said he is opposed to including sustainability concerns in the final guidelines," Forman-Cook writes. He told her that "he would be personally involved" in writing the new guidelines, keeping them "narrowly focused on nutrition."
The letter said the ?shift toward a more plant-based diet? in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's recommendations is a potentially ?powerful tool for health promotion? that would help reduce healthcare costs, Forman-Cook writes.
?Three of the four leading causes of preventable death, heart disease, cancer, and stroke -- are diet-related,? the letter reads. ?Heavy meat consumption, especially red and processed meat, is associated with increased risks of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, while plant-based diets are associated with decreased risks of all three.?
They also noted that 75 percent of U.S. health-care costs and diminished labor supply and worker productivity is caused by chronic and preventable diseases, costing the country "$1 trillion in lost economic output and billions more in rising healthcare cost," Forman-Cook writes.
For the first time, the guidelines include environmental standards and sustainability language. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack "has not said he is opposed to including sustainability concerns in the final guidelines," Forman-Cook writes. He told her that "he would be personally involved" in writing the new guidelines, keeping them "narrowly focused on nutrition."
U.S. meat producers and many farm organizations have pushed back against the recommendations and the sustainability language.
The health-care professionals also endorsed the DGAC's recommendations on sustainability and calls for the DGAC to "explicitly" list the "common names" of foods in the guidelines and identify appropriate "non-animal protein sources" to help consumers modify their eating habits.
The guidelines, which are revised every five years to reflect advancements in scientific knowledge, are used to guide federal nutrition programs, including school meal standards, and to inform consumers. They are expected to be published later this year.
- Advocates Of School Nutrition Standards Use High-school Chefs' Competition To Show That Food Can Still Taste Good
The higher school-food standards required by the Child Nutrition Act expire this year, and Republicans are continuing their efforts to roll back some of them. Democrats and advocates of the standards used a student cooking event on Capitol Hill to generate...
- Federal Dietary Guidelines Recommend Cutting Back On Red And Processed Meat, Sugar And Refined Grains
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have released proposed 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines, released every five years, "provide authoritative advice about consuming fewer calories, making...
- Proposed Nutritional Guidelines Add Sustainability Issues, In Spite Of Republicans' Warnings; Eggs Get A Green Light
A new draft of the federal government's healthy eating guidelines recommends for the first time that Americans consider the "health of the planet along with the health of their hearts," Liz Szabo reports for USA Today. For the first time ever, the...
- Disney Boosts Healthy Nutrition For Kids
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While The Disney Company has always been linked to children?s entertainment, they?re now taking a bold new step to promote children?s health. All food products advertised on their ABC-TV child-focused TV programs, radio stations,...
- Northwest Hospital Receives Award For Stroke Treatment Program
When you or a loved on is being admitted for a stroke, it's important to know that your health care team has the latest skills and knowledge. That's why we're proud that Sinai and Northwest hospitals are designated as Maryland Stroke Centers....