Prioritising protein? What the new US dietary guidelines get right – and wrong – according to 2 nutrition experts

Last week, United States health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr released the government’s revamped dietary guidelines for 2025 to 2030.

These recommendations on healthy eating are updated every five years and help shape food policy and education for millions of Americans.

Under the slogan “eat real food”, the new guidelines recommend people “prioritise protein at every meal”, eat full-fat dairy and plenty of whole grains, and limit ultra-processed foods. A new food pyramid has also been redesigned and flipped on its head.

But are the guidelines based in good science? And how much has actually changed?

Much of the core guidance is unchanged

As in previous versions, the new guidelines promote nutrient-rich foods – such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and appropriate portions.

They continue to recommend people get protein from a variety of sources and limit added sugars and salt. Saturated fat remains capped at less than 10% of total calories.

This is consistent with the long-standing body of nutrition evidence.

Diets rich in whole foods are the most strongly linked to good health overall. There is also evidence they help prevent and manage heart disease, diabetes and – increasingly – mental health.

So, what’s different?

1. More protein

One of the major changes is an increase in recommended protein intake. The previous recommendation was 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day – it’s now 1.2–1.6 grams.

The change was based on a rapid review, which mainly focused on weight loss and exercise studies.

However, this evidence base is too narrow to make dietary recommendations for the whole population, which has varying needs.

The revised guidelines also encourage eating protein at every meal, without explicitly prioritising lean options.

2. Full-fat dairy

The guidelines also recommend full-fat rather than low-fat dairy products.

Yet many people – particularly those at higher risk of heart disease – may continue to benefit from choosing reduced-fat dairy. This is the Heart Foundation’s position in both Australia and the US.

3. Limit ultra-processed foods

The new advice explicitly says people should limit and avoid ultra-processed foods.

This is in line with a growing body of research linking them to chronic disease and inflammation.

Previous guidelines recommended eating “nutrient-dense foods” without specifically mentioning ultra-processed foods.

4. A new – inverted – food pyramid

The new “Real Food” website contrasts its food pyramid with the 1992 food pyramid. But that model had already been replaced by MyPlate in 2011.

In this diagram, half the plate is made up of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains and protein each make up a quarter, and dairy is shown separately.

The new pyramid marks a clear shift. Meats, dairy and oils are at the widest edge – which is now at the top – along with vegetables. Fruits, nuts and grains appear in smaller proportions at the pointy tip.

Confusingly, this contradicts the written recommendations, which continue to promote 2–4 daily servings of whole grains and a variety of protein sources from both animal and plant foods.

This visual focus on animal-based foods may encourage people to exceed the (written) recommendations to limit saturated fats at 10% of what you eat overall, and to balance plant and animal-based foods.