In 2005, @emilykaplanX interviewed Dr. Mark Hegsted, co-author of the 1977 Dietary Goals, which became the first Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980 and guided federal nutrition policy for the next 45 years. When asked if he would have changed anything about the original Guidelines in retrospect, Dr. Hegsted said:
▪️“I didn’t think it was a very good report, frankly.”
▪️The authors “didn’t have enough information to support” their recommendation to “reduce the consumption of meat.
▪️Reducing the recommended fat intake led to Americans overeating foods “low in nutritional value.”
▪️The authors failed to advise against excessive consumption of “highly refined cereals” instead of simply saying, “eat less sugar.”