In the lesson in this unit, you considered how the meat industry may have affected the final version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Popular media outlets and several experts pointed out that the recommendation made in the original report (to include the topic of sustainability and meat consumption) was not addressed in the final Guidelines. What do you think about this decision?
Do you feel that the final Guidelines should have included this information on environmental sustainability?
Or do you agree with the USDA official who stated that the question of sustainability is beyond the scope of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
The nature of this week’s discussion is broad, so you may want to consider the following prompts to help formulate your answer: What can you say about the relationship between public health initiatives and political interests?
What do you think falls in and out of scope when developing dietary guidelines given the purpose is to provide “science-based advice on what to eat and drink to promote health, reduce risk of chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs”?
Responses should be no longer than 200 words