New dietary guidelines highlight the dangers of ultra-processed foods, but create confusion

By Dennis Archambault

The new dietary guides released by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service have formally recognized the devastating impact that ultra processed foods are having on our society. However, in reversing the food pyramid, prioritizing meat and other whole foods, the USDA has created even more confusion in the nutrition field than has already existed and has raised the question of equity.

Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., in announcing the new pyramid recently, said that “American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods – protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains – and dramatically reduce highly processed foods.”  In his announcement, Secretary Kenney noted some critical health indicators driven by poor nutrition:

• 90 percent of health care spending goes to treating chronic disease, much of it linked to diet and lifestyle.
• More than 70 percent of American adults are overweight or obese.
• Nearly one in three adolescents have prediabetes.
• Diet-driven chronic disease disqualifies many young people from military service.

While these are not new or surprising statistics – they’ve been the topic of MOTION Coalition meetings over the past several years – the high profile that the USDA is giving the dangers of ultra processed foods has caused a stir. But along with that there is the confusion that ordinary folks have about what to eat, how to eat it, and how to afford it.

Mitch Albom, a Detroit Free Press columnist, complained about the inconsistency in advice that has existed in nutrition circles that the current USDA announcement has worsened. “The contradictions from place to place and person to person can give you a stomachache. Grains are good; grains are bad. Have yogurt every day; ugh, dairy is terrible for you. Cheese is great, look at the French; cheese is terrible, look at pizza eaters.

“Whole milk is awful; oat milk is worse. Chocolate is a no-no; dark chocolate is healthy. Fats make you fat; fats are a key to brain health. Coffee makes you nervous; a cup a day is better than none. An apple a day makes you sick from pectin.

“So instead, we go for junk. We shop in the “snacks” aisle. We grab fast food. Why is it that with all this eating advice, all this information, all the science and manufacturing that has gone into “healthy food” research and development, Americans are consuming more processed foods than ever?

Because we want what we want. We ignore the advice. Or maybe we just get too confused by the contradictions.”

Yes, we know what we want and too often we grab it without thinking about the USDA guidelines or much else other than we want to fill a void. Authority Health has focused on that compulsion with its Healthy and Resilient Communities initiative, that is giving folks affordable, healthy alternative meals at that point of urgency. And they’re increasingly choosing the healthy option.

Affordability and access, though, is a concern for James Bell, III, the state assistant administrator for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and producer of the podcast, “Equity Matters.”  In a recent post on LinkedIn, he made this observation: “For parents, educators, and public health professionals, this matters. Implementation must consider equity, access, and affordability, or guidance risks widening disparities rather than closing them.”

So, for proponents like Authority Health, the messaging around healthy eating has gotten a little more confusing. The good news is that we can all agree that ultra processed foods are a bad thing and we need to create whole food and food products that are healthy and affordable.

Dennis Archambault is vice president of Public Affairs for Authority Health.