Dietary Guidelines Updates + New Trends

Dear Friend,

As we enter a new year, Dairy Council of California continues to engage health professionals, educators, community leaders and more to elevate the health of children and communities through lifelong healthy eating patterns. Below are some regulatory updates that may impact the dairy community this year and beyond, as well as highlights of recent efforts to educate and advocate on the health benefits of milk and dairy foods.  

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Meeting #4

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture hosted the fourth meeting of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on January 19, 2024. Here are some key takeaways and implications for dairy:

• Multiple positive results were presented related to milk consumption and health outcomes in children. The committee concluded that milk consumption, including higher fat types, is associated with optimal growth and reduced risk of obesity in children and adolescents. It also found that sweetened dairy milk consumption in children is not negatively associated with weight. As a result, dairy intake was mentioned as a component of dietary patterns linked to positive health outcomes throughout childhood.
• Despite the positive progress of evidence showing milk consumption in adults and its relationship to weight, dairy was not included in the conclusion statements for dietary patterns associated with “favorable” weight outcomes. It’s too early to predict how this omission will impact the representation of dairy within the final guidelines.
• The discussion of saturated fat and cardiovascular disease outcomes is still underway, and more insights relevant to dairy fat may be offered at future meetings. The committee’s review of ultraprocessed foods is also underway and will be presented soon.
• New drafts of food pattern modeling protocols were presented, which could have implications to future dairy recommendations. An analysis of discretionary calorie flexibilities can create greater flexibilities for dairy products with higher fat and/or sugar. On the other hand, the committee shared that it is analyzing a new vegan-type dietary pattern that omits animal source foods. The committee is expected to share draft conclusion statements on all dairy-relevant assessments during the remaining meetings this year.
  

Dairy Council of CA will continue to engage throughout the process and intends to submit public comments in the coming months to advocate on the critical contribution of milk and dairy foods within healthy, sustainable eating patterns. We encourage members of the dairy community to get involved and share their input through the public comment process. 

Dairy Council of CA’s most recent comments are available here. 

As we continue to follow the process for determining the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we will keep you apprised of updates, milestones and implications for dairy.

 Trends for Educators and Health Professionals

We are pleased to announce the release of the 2024 Trends for Education and Health Professionals. Topics discussed in the 2024 Trends for Education and Health Professionals include:

• Current challenges to the physical and mental health of children.
• Societal impacts of an aging population.
• Advancing research on the positive impacts of whole milk and dairy foods for health outcomes and nutrition security.
• Growing concerns of climate change and the slow progress of sustainability goals.
• Rapid advances in artificial intelligence technology across the health care and education sectors.
  This resource continues to be highly regarded by educators, health professionals and the dairy community and is one of Dairy Council of CA’s unique, informative and valued services.

Read the full publication online here.

EAT-Lancet 2.0 Global Consultation Synthesis Report

In 2019, the first EAT-Lancet Commission report was published by a commission of global food, nutrition and sustainable food systems experts. The report was intended to define a healthy diet from sustainable food systems and shared recommendations on planetary boundaries impacted by the global food system. A second report—EAT-Lancet 2.0—is in development to build upon the first report and address some of the gaps identified in critiques of the original report

As part of the development process for the 2.0 report, EAT hosted a series of global consultations from June 2022 to June 2023. The insights gathered from the consultations were consolidated into a public-facing synthesis report, Our Common Destination: Global Voices Shaping the Future of Healthy, Sustainable and Equitable Food Systems, which was released in December 2023. 

The final EAT-Lancet 2.0 report is slated for release alongside the EAT Stockholm Food Forum in mid-2025. We will continue to follow the process and keep the dairy community apprised of updates and milestones of the EAT-Lancet 2.0 report and implications for dairy.

California Dairy Sustainability Summit

Registration is now open for the fourth California Dairy Sustainability Summit, taking place March 26, 2024, at the UC Davis Conference Center in Davis, California. The summit promotes advancement of planet-smart dairy farming practices and sustainable, nutritious food systems. Register to attend in person or virtually on the summit website. 

Virtual registration is being provided at no charge to all dairy farmers, thanks to our hosts and partners. Use the following code: DAIRYFARMER

Virtual registration is being provided at no charge to students, thanks to Dairy Farmers of America. Use the following code: DFAStudent

Spotlight on Dairy Nutrition Research and Media

International Dairy Foods Association's first-ever State of Women in Dairy report provides the dairy industry with data-based metrics and recommendations to support gender equality across the entire supply chain. Read the full report here.

If you have questions, concerns or feedback you would like to share, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,

Amy DeLisio, CEO
Dairy Council of California
adelisio@DairyCouncilofCA.org