Recent News Archive

01.26.2012

Parents’ Role in Helping Obese Children Lose Weight

A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that parents should be involved in treatment programs for obese children. The report explains how parents and adult caregivers can be “agents of change” for their children. To do this, they may need to change their own behaviors and lead by example.

Behavior change strategies for helping obese children lose weight suggest that families:

identify specific behaviors that need to be changed and do them together as a family
set small, achievable goals that are age appropriate and clearly defined. For example, make a goal to limit TV and computer screen time to no more than two hours a day instead of setting a goal to watch less TV
keep track of progress (for example, with a diary, internet tracking or smartphone app) and review food and physical activity behaviors daily or weekly
make healthier foods and activities that encourage movement more accessible at home
offer praise or nonfood rewards for the child’s progress instead of punishment for failure

The AHA review found mixed results when evaluating studies focused on parental involvement. About 17% of the studies reviewed found that children lost more weight when parents were involved in treatment. In some studies, parents that adhered to core behavior change strategies, such as being good role models for healthy behaviors or including children in meal planning or preparation, helped children keep weight off for longer after a few years. In other studies, having parents more involved in treatment did not impact the child’s weight loss overall. The review stated that future studies are needed to identify the conditions in which greater parent involvement can lead to better weight loss in children.

The review also suggested that more research is needed in such areas as parents’ perceptions of their children’s weight status, the influence of parent-child relationships, culture, parenting styles and grandparents in changing lifestyle behaviors, and the effectiveness of new technology in treating childhood obesity.

01.15.2012

American Cancer Society releases updated nutrition and physical activity guidelines

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, the environment where we live, work, learn and play impacts our ability to choose healthy behaviors that reduce cancer risk. In their recently updated guidelines, ACS experts make recommendations not only for individuals to lower cancer risk, but also for communities to help make healthy eating and activity behaviors easier for Americans to achieve.

The report makes four main recommendations, along with supporting recommendations for each. The four key actions for individuals are:

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life
Adopt a physically active lifestyle
Consume a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods
If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption

What makes these recommendations so important? One-third of cancer deaths is due to diet and physical activity habits, including overweight and obesity, and another one-third is from tobacco. Overweight and obesity are linked to increased risk of many cancers, including cancers of the breast in postmenopausal women, colon and rectum, endometrium, esophagus, kidney and pancreas. People who avoid tobacco, maintain a healthy weight, stay active and eat a healthy diet can substantially reduce their risk of developing or dying from cancer. These are also linked to a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.

The ACS Guidelines stress that public policy and environmental changes are needed to help individuals choose healthy behaviors. It recommends:

Increased access to affordable, healthy foods in communities, worksites and schools, and decreased access to foods and drinks of low nutritional value and marketing of these foods, particularly to youth.
Safe, enjoyable and accessible environments for physical activity in schools and worksites, and providing for transportation and recreation in communities.

The full report also reviews the evidence on diet and physical activity factors that affect the risk of specific cancers and provides answers to commonly asked questions on diet, physical activity and cancer.

01.03.2012

Effective ways to lose weight — what does the evidence say?

January is the most popular month for ads on weight loss products and services. With so many enticing options for slimming down, choosing the one that will work the best can be daunting. Researchers at the University of Arizona reviewed evidence-based strategies for treating adult obesity to find the options with the most promise for success.

Read the full article

12.26.2011

If your New Year’s resolution is to live healthier — eat less, move more or maintain a healthy weight — USDA’s new SuperTracker can help you reach your goals.

The SuperTracker helps you plan, analyze and track your diet and physical activity. You can create a personal profile and get a plan tailored just for you. The SuperTracker allows you to:

Find nutrition info on 8,000+ foods and get a side-by-side comparison of foods that you choose.
Track the foods you eat in a day and compare them to your food group targets and daily limits.
Track your physical activities and see how they match up to your weekly targets.
Chart your weight history to monitor progress and decide if you need to adjust your eating or physical activity to move toward your weight goal.
Set personal goals in up to 5 areas: weight management, physical activity, calories, food groups, and nutrients. Then sign up to receive virtual daily, weekly or monthly coaching tips related to your goals.
Print out reports to see how you’re doing in meeting your goals. View food groups and calories, nutrients, or a meal summary for a chosen time period; check your weekly physical activities; view charts that show your weight, activity or food and nutrition trends over time.
Keep a journal of your progress. You can record food and activities, mood, location and any notes on daily events to help identify triggers that may be linked to your health behaviors and weight.

Go to SuperTracker and start the New Year in a healthy way.

12.20.2011

Holiday Spirits Flag as Foot Dragging Continues on Nutrition Facts Labeling for Alcohol-Containing Beverages

“For consumers planning on drinking or serving alcoholic beverages this holiday season, one gift they won’t be getting is the gift of information. That’s because the federal government continues to delay a proposal to provide consumers with basic nutrition and alcohol facts on containers of beer, wine and spirits.” This sad fact was reported by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) in their recent press release. The federal agency responsible for such labeling is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and so far, the TTB has not met their responsibility to American consumers who need to know the alcohol and calorie content of their alcohol-containing beverages. If you want to let the TTB know what you think about this issue, you can contact them through their website at www.ttb.gov. In the meantime, CFA has made helpful information about popular alcoholic drinks available on a poster.

12.14.2011

As the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) considers what health benefits must be covered by new state insurance plans operating under the Affordable Care Act, one of the nation’s leading groups on healthy weight for life is encouraging HHS to follow the lead of its agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), by extending Medicare coverage for obesity screenings and physician-based counseling to the rest of the obese population.

press release: Dec. 14, 2011 (pdf)

12.11.2011

There are various ways to lose weight safely and effectively, but using homeopathic HCG products isn’t one of them.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have sent warning letters to seven companies selling homeopathic HCG weight-loss products. These drugs are illegal since they have not been approved by the FDA for this purpose and make unsupported claims about weight loss.

Homeopathic human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) weight-loss products are sold over-the-counter as oral drops, pellets and sprays and can be found online or in some retail stores. These products are marketed with a very low calorie diet that usually restricts calories to 500 a day. According to review by the FDA, many of these products claim to “reset your metabolism,” change “abnormal eating patterns” and lead to a 20-30 pound weight loss in 30-40 days.

HCG is a hormone produced by the human placenta during pregnancy. It is approved as a prescription drug for treatment of female infertility and for hormonal treatment in males. But there is no substantial evidence that HCG increases weight loss beyond what would occur from severe calorie restriction, that it causes a more attractive redistribution of fat, or that it decreases hunger.

What to do? FDA advises consumers who are using homeopathic HCG for weight loss to stop using it, stop following its diet instructions, and throw the product out. Anyone who believes the product may be harming them should contact a licensed health care professional immediately. FDA encourages those who are experiencing harmful effects to report it at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm.

For more information, visit www.fda.gov/hcgdiet

12.05.2011

Here’s some good news for overweight kids. Being heavy doesn’t put kids at risk for heart disease later in life IF they lose weight by the time they’re adults.

In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers looked at data from four large studies that measured childhood and adult body mass index (BMI). In the studies, over 6300 people were followed for an average of 23 years. There was no difference in risk of heart disease in people who were normal weight all their lives compared to those who were overweight or obese as kids but not as adults. Children who lost weight lowered their chances of getting type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal blood lipid levels, which are linked to cardiovascular disease risk.

But overweight or obese children who were obese as adults had a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduced HDL (good) cholesterol, high triglycerides and atherosclerosis (plaque buildup on the artery walls).

It’s all the more reason for children to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight into adulthood. Check out the Shape Up America! Children’s Center for more information on childhood obesity, plus Beyonce’s Move Your Body video and tips for family fitness fun.

11.18.2011

Expert panel report on cardiovascular health and risk reduction in children and adolescents

All children between 9 and 11 years old should be tested for high blood cholesterol so steps can be taken, if needed, to prevent heart disease when they’re older. Children should also have their fasting blood glucose levels checked every two years, beginning at age 10, if they are overweight and have other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as a family history.

These recommendations are from new guidelines on cardiovascular health and risk reduction in children and adolescents. An expert panel appointed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) developed the guidelines to assist pediatric health care providers in promoting heart health and managing risk factors to prevent future heart disease.

Risk factors that quicken the development of atherosclerosis, the buildup of fat, or plaque, in artery walls begin in childhood. Reducing the risks may delay progression to cardiovascular disease later on, including heart attack and stroke. Risk factors include overweight and obesity, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and family history of heart disease.

Obesity in childhood is linked to heart disease in adult life. According to the report:

A combination of reducing calories, limiting sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity is more effective than diet alone.
For children ages 6 to 12, family-based programs are recommended. The greatest weight loss is achieved when parents are the focus of the intervention.
For adolescents, the greatest weight change occurs when teens are the main focus of the intervention and they are making behavior changes with the support of their peers.

Parents should speak with their child’s doctor about their child’s weight status and screening for blood cholesterol and other health indicators, as needed.

Summary report on the Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents

11.11.2011

Is Walking a “Vaccine” Against Cancer?

Some people think so. At a 2011 American Institute for Cancer Research conference in Washington, DC, experts presented preliminary data suggesting that a brisk daily walk helps to reduce several key biological indicators of cancer risk, including sex hormone levels, insulin resistance, inflammation and body fatness.

The big surprise is that sitting for long periods of time can increase some of those same indicators of cancer risk, even among people who exercise daily. People are being urged to break up every hour of sitting with a few minutes of activity. These breaks can be as simple as walking to a colleague’s office instead of sending an email or going to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Senior Research Epidemiologist Christine Friedenreich, PhD, of Alberta Health Services-Cancer Care in Canada, presented just-published findings from the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) Trial. The latest results from this trial involve C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, which is linked to cancer risk. In a study appearing in the October issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research, moderate to vigorous daily activity reduced C-reactive protein levels among post-menopausal women.

Dr. Friedenreich’s research demonstrates that even in previously sedentary postmenopausal women, a moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise program results in changes in several biomarker levels that are consistent with a lower risk for postmenopausal breast cancer.

In breast and colon cancers we're seeing overall risk reductions of about 25 to 30 percent associated with higher levels of physical activity. With prostate cancer the evidence isn't as strong but it's still there — about 10 to 20 percent lower risk. For endometrial cancer, we are finding about 30 to 35 percent risk reduction with more physical activity.

Neville Owen, PhD, Head of Behavioral Epidemiology at Australia’s Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute suggests sitting for long periods of time is associated with health risks — even for people who are regularly physically active. Sitting time is emerging as a strong candidate for being a cancer risk factor in its own right. It seems highly likely that the longer you sit, the higher your risk.

Sedentary time may also be an important factor for cancer survivors. For survivors, diabetes and cardiovascular disease are particular concerns and overweight and obesity increases the risk for both conditions. Television viewing time, a sign of sedentary behavior, appears to increase subsequent risk of weight gain in cancer survivors.

How sedentary are we? The majority of adults’ days are spent sedentary. One accelerometer study found that 60 percent (9.3 hours) of subjects’ waking day was spent sedentary, including meals, commutes and computer/television time, while another 35 percent (6.5 hours) was spent engaged in light activity such as walking to a meeting. Office workers can spend over 75 percent of their working hours sitting, with bouts of 30 minutes or more of unbroken sedentary time common.

“Make Time” + “Break Time” = Cancer Protection AND WEIGHT CONTROL

For good health — make time for 30 minutes of daily exercise. For weight control — make time for 60 minutes of daily exercise. Whichever you choose as your goal, combine that with “Break Time” — which means take a break of several minutes of activity for every hour of sitting time.

Break time tips:

Set the timer on your computer to remind you every 60 minutes that it’s time to step away from your desk and take a short walk down the hall.
“Walk with me.” Got a quick thing to discuss with a co-worker? Instead of sending an email, ask him or her to join you for a walk to hash it out on the go. The “pede-conference”: It’s not just for TV characters anymore
Keep light hand weights in your office to use while reading email or talking on the phone
During all phone calls and phone meetings, stand up and walk around
Your office or cubicle wall is all you need for simple activities like stretches, vertical push-ups and leg lifts
For a more vigorous activity break, ask your employer to put a punching bag or chin-up bar in your break room

11.07.2011

Did you know that drinking just one 20-ounce soda a day for a year equals 50 pounds of sugar a year? Or that you’d have to walk about 3 miles to burn off the calories from that one sugary soda? The New York City Health Department wants New Yorkers to know how sugary drinks can impact their health. They recently launched a 30-second TV spot, along with bilingual subway posters to educate New Yorkers about the health consequences linked to sugary drinks and what healthier beverages to drink instead.

Why all the fuss? Sugar-sweetened drinks are the main source of added sugar in the American diet. They provide extra calories that can lead to obesity and other health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. With ⅔ of American adults and ⅓ of children either overweight or obese, finding ways to stem the tide of obesity is a national concern.

Here are some other ways that states and schoolchildren are trying to get people to cut down on soda.

The Tennessee Obesity Task Force wants lawmakers to tax sugar-sweetened soft drinks. The soda tax bill would place a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on bottled, sugar-sweetened drinks bought at convenience and grocery stores, while also reducing the state food tax by 1 percent.

In Columbia, Maryland, nearly 100 fourth- and fifth-graders and their teachers signed a pledge to not drink soda for one month. If Talbott Springs elementary school can do it, county health officials hope to take the pledge idea to other schools throughout Howard County.

The New York City Health Department offers these healthy alternatives to sugary drinks:

Water: add slices of lemons, limes, oranges, watermelon, cucumber or mint
Unsweetened teas: if desired, just add a few drops of honey
Seltzer or club soda with a splash of 100% juice: Mix one part juice (cranberry, orange or grape) with 3 parts seltzer
Coffee: skip the fancy sweetened ones
Low-fat (1%) or fat-free (skim) milk: always a good, healthy choice

For more info, go to the New York City Health Department site

11.03.2011

Beverage companies are marketing sugary drinks to young people, especially black and Hispanic youth. Despite their pledge to market fewer unhealthy drinks to children, youths are seeing more advertising overall for sugary drinks, according to a new study from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.

Researchers analyzed the marketing practices of 14 beverage companies and the nutritional quality of close to 600 products including regular soda, energy drinks, fruit drinks and diet drinks. They found that from 2008 to 2010, children's and teens' exposure to TV ads for sugary soda doubled and energy drink ads marketed to teens rose by 20 percent. Marketers are engaging youth in new ways, such as giving rewards for buying sugary drinks, sponsoring events or sports teams, and using social media (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube).

While the American Beverage Association points to recent declines in sugary drink consumption and sales, the researchers feel that beverage companies need to do more to change their marketing practices toward youth.

What can parents do?

Serve water and low-fat milk.
Keep juice portions small (8–12 oz/day for children over age 6).
Read the ingredients list (fruit drinks have added sugar).
Contact the beverage companies with any questions or concerns.

For the full report

10.28.2011

Do you fear a healthy Halloween will be a frightening experience for your child? By shifting the focus from candy to costumes, no-candy treats and creative play, you can keep your kids from sugar overload without missing out on this super-fun day.

Experts at superkidsnutrition.com offer up these tops tips for a healthy and happy Halloween:

Focus on the FUN: Shift the attention away from the candy and onto the costume. Hold a costume contest for the neighborhood. From “Scariest”, to “Cutest”, to “Funniest”, each kid can win a title. Make the grand prize a fun activity like jumping rope, kickball, chalk and other outdoor activities.

Push Play! Instead of consuming the calories, encourage kids to expend them with activity coupons. Giving away coupons to your local bowling alley, ice skating rink, batting cage or other indoor play centers is a fun way to encourage families to get up and be active together!

Top 10 Steps Towards a Healthier Halloween

10.17.2011

What is Obesity?

Obesity refers to excess body fat — enough to place your health at risk. In the clinic, measuring body fat is typically not done, and weight for height or BMI (body mass index) is used instead. For the average person, obesity (a BMI of 30 or above) is roughly 30 pounds or more of excess weight in the form of fat.

The reason that the health care professionals are concerned about obesity is that the risk of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers increases markedly in obese people. If obesity is prolonged, irreversible metabolic and physiological changes occur that lead to insulin resistance, high blood glucose levels, joint pain, loss of breath and more. One negative consequence is that weight reduction becomes harder and harder to achieve. So obesity is not a cosmetic issue, it is a health issue.

A recent random survey conducted by Dr. Matthew Ryan of the University of Florida, Gainesville of folks in a hospital Emergency Department found:

Only 30% of people told by their health care provider that they were overweight agreed with that assessment.
Only 1 in 5 people with a weight problem said they had ever discussed it with a health care provider

These findings are a concern because taking action is unlikely to occur in folks who do not see the health consequences of excess weight. Learn your BMI today and if your BMI falls between 25.0 – 29.9 you are overweight; a BMI of 30 or above is considered obese.

SOURCES: Matthew Ryan, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, emergency medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville; Keri Gans, R.D., spokesperson, American Dietetic Association; Oct. 15, 2011, presentations, American College of Emergency Physicians annual meeting, San Francisco

10.12.2011

On October 24, 2011, thousands of events will inspire Americans to improve their diets and fix our food system. Go to www.FoodDay.org to attend an event near you, or volunteer to organize an event for your school, church or community.

Thanks to folks at the Cooking Channel, you can view a 60-second promotional spot about Food Day featuring Morgan Spurlock (famous for the movie Super Size Me).

Feel free to share it with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+!

10.03.2011

The Obesity Society (TOS) is meeting this week in Orlando, Florida so the media are picking up on presentations about obesity and weight management that are considered provocative. Bear in mind that these are preliminary findings, presented by researchers, and not full-length studies published in peer-reviewed publications. Peer review usually means that two separate persons with expertise in the subject area of the study have reviewed the publication. It is not unusual for authors of studies to revise their manuscripts in response to the review process. It is also not unusual for journals to reject manuscripts altogether. So as you read stories in the media about studies presented at the TOS meeting, keep in mind that the findings may not stand up to closer scrutiny via the peer-review process.

The Obesity Society 2011 Annual Meeting

09.01.2011

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. 12.5 million US children are obese, but we can make changes to ensure our children live active, healthy lives. Childhood obesity is a major public health problem. In the US, 17% of children are obese, and certain groups of children are even more severely affected by this problem. Nearly 27% of Mexican-American boys are obese, and nearly 30% of non-Hispanic black girls are obese. There is no single or simple solution to childhood obesity. It is influenced by many different factors, including a lack of access to healthy food and drinks as well as limited opportunities for physical activity in the places where children live, play and learn. Working together, states, communities, and parents can help make the healthy choice the easy choice for children and adolescents.

Presidential Proclamation — National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

08.22.2011

New Yorkers may remember former mayor Ed Koch who served three terms from 1978 to 1989, but few know that he was a chubby child, according to an August 10 article in the New York Times. Mayor Koch teamed up with his sister, Pat Koch Thaler, to write a children's book entitled “Eddie Shapes Up.” The book draws upon Koch's experiences as an overweight young boy and serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of adopting a healthy diet and active lifestyle at an early age.

To underscore the importance of weight control during young adulthood, June Stevens and her colleagues at UNC Chapel Hill published a compelling study of nearly 14,000 people in the Journal of Adolescent Health. These workers showed that in both African-American and white people, excess weight in young adulthood (approximately age 25) contributes to significantly higher death rates over the next 20-30 years.

A body mass index (or BMI) that falls between 18.5 and 24.9 is associated with lowest mortality. To learn about your own BMI and more about the effects of excess body fat, go to:
BMI calculator
Body Fat Lab

08.12.2011

Many people would like to quit smoking but hesitate to try because they fear gaining weight. Weight gain following smoking cessation is commonly reported, but does not have to be inevitable. A new study published in the August 2011 issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research offers a promising solution. Researchers in this study counseled subjects for only 15 to 20 minutes about smoking cessation and provided them with an 8-week supply of the nicotine patch. Those who completed 2 one-hour full-body weight lifting (also known as resistance training) sessions each week for 12 weeks were more likely to kick the smoking habit and they lost weight as an added bonus. The control subjects who did not exercise were less successful at quitting and they gained weight and body fat during the 12-week period. Months later, quitters in the exercise group were more likely to continue to kick the habit than those in the non-exercise group.

07.06.2011

On July 6, 2011 Shape Up America! President, Barbara J. Moore, participated in a delegation led by Senator George McGovern to the Secretary's Office at the Department of the Treasury to brief the Secretary's Chief of Staff, Mark Patterson, on our efforts to achieve labeling of alcohol-containing beverages. Sadly, Senator McGovern lost a beloved daughter to the ravages of alcoholism and was willing to share his story to open the meeting.

Meeting attendees included representatives from the National Consumers League and the Consumer Federation of America who have partnered with Shape Up America! in the past to conduct consumer research on alcohol labeling. Those findings were published in Nutrition Today in 2010 and suggest that the majority (90%) of consumers support labeling of alcohol-containing products with an “Alcohol Facts” label. When presented with three different labeling formats, they preferred the most complete label that provides information about alcohol (by volume and fluid ounces), calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate and the definition of a standard drink in terms of fluid ounces of alcohol.

On July 12, 2011 Shape Up America! sent a copy of Moore's Nutrition Today article to Mr. Patterson thanking him for meeting with us and expressing the hope that 2011 will mark the inauguration of the long awaited “Alcohol Facts” label that will give consumers the information they need to make the right choice, the easy choice.

06.07.2011

Over the years, Shape Up America! has received many questions about healthy eating and it always seemed easiest to explain what constitutes a healthy balanced diet in terms of a plate since that is something everyone can relate to. A search on our website — www.shapeup.org — using the word “plate” as the search term will illustrate my point. Finally the U.S. government has decided to make it official — the plate icon is replacing the Food Pyramid and has launched a website — www.myplate.gov — to help consumers learn more about healthy eating. We welcome this new icon as a teaching tool, and hope that it encourages more people to cover the majority of their plate with plant-based foods (veggies, fruits and products made from whole grains) at mealtimes.

Although there is evidence that protein is helpful for weight management, the new plate icon shows that the protein source should not cover more than ¼ of the plate. To that we would add that fish, skinless poultry, and lean cuts of meat are preferred. One thing the icon does not make clear is the role of fat and added sugars. For weight management, suffice it to say that minimal amounts of both are preferred. Note that dessert is not a part of the icon, which is an important message for those of us watching our weight.

01.25.2011

Shape Up America! is honored to be selected as one of the 10 best obesity sites on the web by TopSite!

TopSite: 10 best obesity sites

01.24.2011

Shape Up America! remembers Jack LaLanne, as the first TV fitness and nutrition personality who not only talked the talk but also walked the walk. May he rest in peace.

01.12.2011

In addition to this startling statistic on the costs of obesity, the CDC Vital signs (August 2010) highlights a few other startling statistics. They are:

More than 72 million U.S. adults are obese (12.5 million children are obese per W. Dietz testimony of 2010 to Congress)
Persons who are obese have medical costs that are $1429 higher (per year) than those of normal weight
No state has an obesity rate less than 15%—the national goal.

Society of Actuaries obesity report (pdf)

10.27.2010

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 emphasize the widespread increase in obesity among Americans. For the first time, the Guidelines address the fact that over 70 percent of American women and over 60 percent of men are overweight or obese. According to Dr. Linda Van Horn, chair of the Dietary Guidelines Committee, for the first time the Guidelines are “completely evidence-based,” meaning that sound scientific research provided the basis for the committee's conclusions and recommendations.

Article: Dietary Guidelines do improve nutrition, says committee chair