Michelle Winokur, DrPH, and the AfPA Governmental Affairs Team, Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA) 

Many parents, and even some health care providers, many not be certain. But consulting the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans will provide the answers. (1) 

The Dietary Guidelines are updated jointly by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services every five years. The agencies released the newest edition in late December. Under the call to action “Make Every Bite Count,” the new Dietary Guidelines provide a framework for healthy eating at each stage of life. 

The latest version of the Dietary Guidelines includes, for the first time, information about nutrition for infants and toddlers. Evidence has shown birth through age 2 is a pivotal time of growth and development. “It also is key for establishing healthy dietary patterns that may influence the trajectory of eating behaviors and health throughout the life course,” according to the document. 

Key recommendations for infants and toddlers include: 

Feeding an exclusively human milk diet for the first six months of life. The Dietary Guidelines suggest sourcing pasteurized donor human milk from a reliable source, such as an accredited bank, if mother’s milk isn’t available. Feeding infants iron-fortified formula is the acceptable alternative to human milk. 

Provide infants with supplemental vitamin D soon after birth. 

Introduce nutrient-dense complementary foods around 6 months of age. Potentially allergenic foods, such as peanuts, egg, cow milk products and wheat, should be introduced along with other complementary foods. 

Avoid foods and beverages with added sugars, and limit foods and beverages higher in sodium. 

Encourage eating foods from all food groups. Foods rich in omega 3s, iron, zinc, and vitamin D, such as seafood, are important for introducing nutrients crucial for development. 

The new Dietary Guidelines also offer expanded guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Consumption charts of various foods show these groups of women, on average, eat less than the recommended amounts of vegetables, whole grains and seafood. Two to three servings, totaling 8-12 ounces, of seafood choices lower in methylmercury per week has been shown to provide nutritional value to mothers and to benefit their babies, including babies’ brain development. 

Finally, the Dietary Guidelines offers three principles for everyone to consider when making food and beverage selections: 

1. Meet nutritional needs primarily from nutrient-dense foods and beverages. 
2. Choose a variety of options from each food group: vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein foods. 
3. Pay attention to portion size. 

Following these principles can help Americans of every age make healthy dietary choices. “A fundamental premise of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines is that just about everyone, no matter their health status, can benefit from shifting food and beverage choices to better support healthy dietary patterns,” notes its executive summary. 

The Dietary Guidelines are the product of an extensive review of the most current research and medical knowledge on a variety of specific nutrition topics. The final version also incorporates public comments along with input from other federal agencies. 

To learn more, visit the Dietary Guidelines for Americans website, which includes the recommendations in English and Spanish, as well as other consumer-friendly resources. (1) 

References: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov and https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/downloadable-graphics 

Disclosures: The author reports no disclosures