Federal Communication about Obesity in the Dietary Guidelines and Checkoff Programs

The most striking feature of the revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released this past January, is the publication s increased emphasis on obesity prevention: To reverse the trend toward obesity, most Americans need to eat fewer calories, be more active, and make wiser food choices (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005). The Dietary Guidelines, which are released every 5 years and are now in their sixth edition, are intended as the Federal Government s most authoritative summary of the state of nutrition science and the basis for all Federal communication with consumers on nutrition topics.