US releases new dietary guidelines with dairy at top

The US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The report affirms dairy products’ central role in federal nutrition recommendations, recommends Americans consume three servings of dairy each day, and recommends the consumption of whole and full-fat dairy products such as whole milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products, according to the US International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).

“The new dietary guidelines send a clear and powerful message to Americans: dairy foods belong at the centre of a healthy diet,” says Michael Dykes, president and CEO of IDFA. “IDFA applauds HHS and USDA for grounding the 2025-2030 DGA in today’s nutrition science, including the evidence showing that dairy products at all fat levels support healthy eating patterns. Recommending the consumption of whole and full-fat dairy products such as whole milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products is an important victory for consumer choice and public health. Americans can now enjoy the wholesome dairy foods that work for their cultural, dietary and lifestyle preferences knowing that they are benefitting from dairy’s unique nutrient profile. IDFA encourages the administration to update federal nutrition programs tied to the DGA to ensure Americans can access whole, full-fat and reduced-fat dairy products through these programmes.”

IDFA has highlighted that scientific evidence does not support previous DGA recommendations to limit dairy food consumption to low-fat or fat-free products. The new DGA reflect a growing body of research, providing Americans greater flexibility to choose dairy foods that meet their needs.

“The DGA also highlight dairy’s central role as a protein source alongside healthy meats, eggs, seafood, and other protein foods,” said Dykes. “These DGAs encourage Americans to look no further than wholesome dairy products like milk, yogurt, dairy powders, cheese, and other dairy foods when adding healthy protein that work best for themselves, their families and their unique situations.”

Dykes also cautioned that the DGA’s reference to “highly processed foods” could create unnecessary confusion among consumers and policymakers because there is no official or scientific consensus on what that term means. “Many nutritious, safe, and essential foods, including milk, yogurt, and cheese, undergo processing to ensure quality, safety, and accessibility,” he says. “Establishing dietary guidance around an undefined or inconsistently applied term risks discouraging consumption of nutrient-rich foods that are vital to public health. As we noted in recent comments to federal agencies, any move toward defining or classifying foods by processing level is premature and should be informed by rigorous, consensus-based science.

“IDFA looks forward to continued collaboration with HHS and USDA to ensure the new DGA recommendations regarding dairy at all fat levels are reflected in federal nutrition programmes like school meals, WIC and SNAP dairy incentives. We also remain committed to partnering with these agencies to ensure future dietary recommendations reflect the best available science and support increased dairy consumption, contributing to healthier outcomes for all Americans,” Dykes concluded.