I graduated from high school in 1975 (a scary thought) and the first dietary guidelines were instituted in 1977. Therefore, I’ve been an eyewitness to this devasting journey. Recently I perused through a collection of photos from my high school. The difference when you look at pictures from kids and educators in our schools today is shocking.
In the late 1970’s among both the teachers as well as students one is hard pressed to find anyone overweight. Sure, a couple individuals one might list as “full-bodied”, but it is not the norm by any stroke of the imagination. Do your own investigation if you happen to know someone of similar age, have a look at their school class pictures.
I want to strongly suggest the post here, The Scale, weight is NOT the only metric by which to judge whether one is healthy or not. In an ideal world, you would have all 5 metabolic markers in a good range (without medication) have a normal body composition, particularly as concerns muscle mass and abdominal (visceral) fat percentages, have a healthy waist circumference; women 35 inches or less, men 40 inches or less. Or if striving more optimally keep your waist to less than half your height with a reasonable fitness level for your age and body requirements.
OK, but back to the nightmare of nutritional advice. Prior to the Senator George McGovern inaugural committee for dietary advice there was none. Let me repeat, the government was NOT in the business of telling people what to eat or what not to eat, that all changed in 1977. My second year in university.
This is where things took a major U-turn. Before going on, I highly recommend the book from Nina Teicholz, The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet.A meticulously researched dive into not only the historically background on the dietary guidelines but overall, how the science was manipulated to support the agenda and “diet heart” hypothesis from the flawed work of Ancel Keys.
Below from a 2014 article by Nina in the British Paper, The Independent.
“Our dietary guidance has followed Keys’s view for 50 years now. Despite half-a-billion pounds spent trying to prove his hypothesis, the evidence of its health benefits has never been produced. Meanwhile, rates of obesity and diabetes are rising, and heart disease remains a leading cause of death. It’s worth wondering if our working hypothesis about diet and health is not working.”
For another good perspective see this highly insightful 22-minute video from Dr. Paul Mason “The Corrupt History of the Food Pyramid.” Knowledge is Power.
Starting in 1977 Americans were instructed to start consuming 55 to 60% of their daily calories from carbohydrates, to reduce saturated fat intake, reduce salt intake, to eat more fruits and vegetables. (*See Grok overview below the post). Plus, the committee advised protein intake at 12% of total calories. Rough calculation on that protein advice using average 2000 calories daily and 12% from protein = 240 calories, 1 gram protein +/- 4 calories get you 240/4 = 60 g protein. That alone is a frightening low number.
Many researchers on muscle protein synthesis such as Dr. Don Layman, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Peter Attia advocate for a minimum of 30 to 40 g protein per meal for good muscle protein synthesis. Thus, 60 g for the whole day is contributing to a very low intake for muscle maintenance, especially for mature adults who are less efficient at processing protein. No wonder so many adults are weak, under-muscled and improperly fueled. See post, Two Levers To Pull.
What went wrong?
In the words of the late and great Dr. Sarah Halberg, “If you take the fat out, you have to put something else in. There are only 3 macronutrients, protein, fat and carbohydrates. When they take the fat out they usually put chemicals and additives in, usually both………” Her highly acclaimed Ted Talk which has over 11 million views should be required viewing.
The guidelines told people to stop eating saturated fat because they assumed it would clog your arteries. Then we filled their diet up for energy purposes with heavy carbohydrate loaded options and put the focus on total calories. To really understand the essence of why a calorie is not a calorie, on our MUST-READ list is Gary Taubes, Good Calories, Bad Calories (GCBC). If impatient or want the shorter version, check out Why We Get Fat.
The turn away from saturated fat also brought with it the introduction and promotion of polyunsaturated fats, known as PUFA’s, industrial highly processed seed oils. Numerous individuals see these oils as major contributors to mitochondrial dysfunction, weight gain and other chronic conditions. Look to the work of Dr. Cate Shanahan, Dr. Paul Saladino, Chris Kresser as well as Dr. Chris Knobbe.
Whether you find seed oils a causal element of damage or not, keep in mind, before they became touted as heart healthy oils the omega-6: omega-3 ratio was around 1-1. Many sources say that ratio can now be as high as 15-1 or 20-1 amongst Americans eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) containing high levels of linoleic acid (in seed oils). A huge change is it causal, who can’t say exactly, but contributor, seems very highly likely.
So why should you care about the guidelines?
For starters it influences an incredible number of institutions, schools, assisted living homes, the military, hospitals and other government programs like SNAP. See quote from the guidelines’ website below.
“The Dietary Guidelines informs a variety of Federal activities, such as updating nutrition standards for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Federally funded nutrition education activities also use the Dietary Guidelines to develop messages, while also tailoring to meet the particular needs of a specific audience based on culture, context, life stage, and other considerations where needed. Besides the Federal government, Tribal, state, and local governments, academic institutions, non-government organizations, and the private sector use the Dietary Guidelines to inform their research, policy, programs, and practices for public health promotion and disease prevention initiatives.”
Even if you do not work for or did associate with any of the groups mentioned above, the guidelines have infiltrated areas of your life, your brain and moreover your beliefs. Think fear of saturated fat, fear of salt, obsession with calories, narrowly focused on total cholesterol with a huge priority on weight or BMI (Body Mass Index, a poor marker of health). Belief in it all comes down to the notion that to be healthy is just a question of Eat Less, Move More.
The fact remains, only 7% of US Adults have good metabolic health, 1 in 3 teenagers are pre-diabetic. Our obesity and overweight numbers are out the roof. Chronic disease is rampant with your average adult on 4 to 5 medications, with others on as many as 10. And heart disease is still the number 1 cause of death.
Ask yourself is it working? Is the “medical person” advising you healthy? On the other hand, is your diet is working for you, feeling energized, strong with good metabolic markers, by all means keep doing it. If not, how long will you keep going down the path of no return? Is it time for new thinking?
Yes, being “unhealthy” involves a host of elements. Your age, activity level, macronutrients consumed, medications, underlying chronic conditions, sleep hygiene, stress levels, social-economic conditions and your support community. The bottom line is this experiment has gone on long enough and clearly what is being advised is not working. See post, Question Everything When It Comes to Your Health.
On the bright side, change is happening. Just this past week FDA Commissioner Marty Markary announced they will be revising the recommendations on saturated fat as well as the nutritional guidelines due to a lack of rigorous data and science. Halleluiah!
Change happens one meal at a time, one day at a time and one person on a mission. Stay motivated, think critically and move forward with action. Today is better than tomorrow.
EXTRA INFO
For our own personal nutritional journey’s see below.
*Grok’s overview of the 1977 Dietary Goals for the United States. Bold are Mine
Increase Carbohydrate Consumption: Increase consumption of complex carbohydrates and naturally occurring sugars to account for about 55-60% of total caloric intake. Emphasis on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as primary sources.
Reduce Fat Consumption: Decrease overall fat intake from approximately 40% to about 30% of total calories.
Specifically, reduce saturated fat to about 10% of total calories, with the remaining fat intake balanced between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (roughly 10% each).
Reduce Cholesterol Consumption: Limit dietary cholesterol to about 300 mg per day (equivalent to roughly one egg or less daily for most people).
Reduce Sugar Consumption: Decrease intake of refined and processed sugars to about 10% of total caloric intake. Focus on reducing added sugars in processed foods and beverages.
Reduce Salt Intake: Lower sodium consumption to approximately 3 grams per day (later adjusted to about 5 grams, equivalent to roughly 1 teaspoon of salt). Aimed at reducing hypertension and related cardiovascular risks.
Increase Consumption of Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains: Emphasize plant-based foods to provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals while reducing reliance on calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods.
Avoid Overconsumption of Calories: Maintain caloric intake appropriate to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, with a focus on nutrient-dense foods to prevent obesity.
