Dietary Guidelines for Americans guidelines and key recommendations (2024)

Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and across the basic food groups, while choosing foods that increase saturated andtransfat, cholesterol, added sugar, salt and alcohol.

Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced diet, such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan.

People over 50 years old. Take B vitamins₁₂in its crystalline form (i.e. fortified foods or supplements).

Women of childbearing age who could become pregnant. Eat foods high in heme iron and/or consume iron-rich plant foods or iron-fortified foods with an iron absorption enhancer, such as vitamin C-rich foods.

Women of childbearing age who could become pregnant and women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Consume sufficient synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements) every day in addition to dietary forms of folic acid from a varied diet.

Older adults, people with dark skin, and people who have not been exposed to sufficient ultraviolet band radiation (i.e. sunlight). Consume extra vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.

To keep body weight within a healthy range, you must balance calories from food and drink with calories consumed.

To avoid gradual weight gain over time, slightly reduce calories from food and drinks and increase physical activity.

Those who want to lose weight. Aim for slow, steady weight loss by reducing calorie intake while getting enough nutrients and increasing physical activity.

Overweight children. Reduce the rate of weight gain while allowing growth and development. Consult a doctor before putting a child on a weight-loss diet.

Pregnant woman. Maintain appropriate weight gain as specified by a healthcare provider.

Women who produce milk. Moderate weight loss is safe and does not jeopardize infant weight gain.

Obese adults and obese children with chronic diseases and/or medications. Consult a healthcare provider about weight loss strategies before beginning a weight loss program to ensure appropriate management of other health conditions.

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being and a healthy body weight.

• To reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, above and beyond usual activity, at work or at home, most days of the week.

• For most people, greater health benefits can be achieved by participating in physical activity of greater intensity or longer duration.

• To control body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain in adulthood: Engage in about 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise most days of the week, while not exceeding caloric intake.

• To maintain weight loss into adulthood: Get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily physical activity of moderate intensity, without exceeding caloric intake. Some people may need to consult a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.

Gain physical fitness through cardiovascular conditioning, stretching for flexibility and resistance exercises, or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Children and teenagers. Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.

Pregnant woman. If no medical or obstetric complications occur, you should engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Avoid activities with a high risk of falls or abdominal trauma.

Women who produce milk. Please note that neither acute nor regular exercise has a negative effect on the mother's ability to breastfeed.

Older adults. Engage in regular physical activity to reduce the functional decline associated with aging and to obtain the other benefits of physical activity identified for all adults.

Consume enough fruit and vegetables and stay within your energy requirements. Two cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference intake of 2,000 calories, with higher or lower amounts depending on calorie level.

Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Be sure to choose from all five subgroups of vegetables (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables and other vegetables) several times a week.

Consume 3 or more ounce equivalents of whole grains per day, with the remainder of the recommended grains coming from fortified or whole-grain products. In general, at least half of the grains should come from whole grains.

Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or similar milk products.

Children and teenagers. Consume whole grain products often; at least half of the grains should consist of whole grains. Children aged 2 to 8 years should consume 2 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products daily. Children 9 years and older should consume 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products daily.

Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day, and keeptransfatty acid consumption as low as possible.

Keep total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with most fat coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

When choosing and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat or fat-free.

Limit the intake of fats and oils with a high content of saturated and/ortransfatty acids, and choose products with low levels of such fats and oils.

Children and teenagers. Keep total fat intake between 30 and 35 percent of calories for children aged 2 to 3 years and between 25 and 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains often.

Choose and prepare foods and drinks that are low in added sugars or high-calorie sweeteners, such as the amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.

Reduce the incidence of tooth decay by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugary and starchy foods and drinks less often.

Consume less than 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

Choose and prepare foods with a little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

People with hypertension, blacks, and middle-aged and older adults. Try to consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day and follow the potassium recommendation (4,700 mg/day) with food.

Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation – defined as consuming up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot limit their alcohol intake, women of childbearing potential, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, people taking medications that interact with alcohol and people with specific medical conditions.

Alcoholic drinks should be avoided by people who participate in activities that require attention, skill or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

To prevent microbial foodborne illness:

• Clean hands, surfaces that come into contact with food and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.

• Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods when shopping, preparing or storing food.

• Cook food to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.

• Store perishable foods in the refrigerator immediately and thaw them properly.

• Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices and raw Brussels sprouts.

Infants and toddlers, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Do not eat or drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, unpasteurized juice, and raw Brussels sprouts.

Pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Only eat certain delicacies and sausages that have been heated to steaming heat.

Prevent and/or reduce overweight and obesity through improved eating and exercise behavior.

Monitor total calorie intake to manage body weight. For people who are overweight or obese, this means consuming fewer calories from food and drinks.

Increase physical activity and reduce the time you spend in sedentary behavior.

Maintain proper calorie balance at every stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and lactation, and old age.

Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables.

Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red and orange vegetables and beans and peas.

Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Increase your intake of whole grains by replacing refined grains with whole grains.

Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese or fortified soy drinks.

Choose a variety of protein-rich foods, including seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products and unsalted nuts and seeds.

Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood instead of some meat and poultry.

Replace protein-rich foods that are higher in solid fat with choices that are lower in solid fat and calories and/or are sources of oil.

Whenever possible, use oils to replace solid fats.

Choose foods that contain more potassium, dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that are important in the American diet. These foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk and dairy products.

Women of childbearing potential should choose foods that contain heme iron, which is more easily absorbed by the body, supplemental sources of iron, and agents that promote iron absorption, such as vitamin C-rich foods.

Women of childbearing potential should consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of synthetic folic acid per day (from fortified foods and/or supplements) in addition to dietary forms of folic acid from a varied diet.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consume 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week from a variety of seafood types.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should limit the amount of albacore tuna consumed each week and avoid the following four types of fish: tilefish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel because of their high methylmercury content.

Women who are pregnant should take an iron supplement as recommended by an obstetrician or other health care provider.

People aged 50 and over should consume foods fortified with vitamin B₁₂, such as fortified grains or nutritional supplements.