Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have unveiled an updated national dietary pyramid as part of the Make America Healthy Again campaign. The inverted design prioritizes proteins and dairy but draws criticism for environmental impacts and industry ties. Nutrition experts highlight contradictions with established health guidelines on saturated fats.
In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture introduced revised dietary guidelines, visualized as an inverted food pyramid. Unlike the traditional model, this version places a small base of whole grains at the bottom, with the broadest top section divided between proteins, dairy, and healthy fats on one side, and vegetables and fruits on the other. The guidelines emphasize nutrient-dense whole foods, reduced intake of highly processed items, and increased protein consumption, under the slogan "Eat real food."
While aspects like avoiding added sugars, salt, and chemical additives have garnered support from nutrition experts, the push for more meat and dairy has sparked backlash. At least four of the nine consulting experts have connections to meat and dairy industries. The American Heart Association warns that excess saturated fats from animal sources, such as beef and full-fat dairy, are linked to cardiovascular issues. The guidelines maintain that saturated fats should comprise no more than 10% of daily calories, yet the pyramid's promotion of cooking with butter and beef tallow appears at odds with this limit.
Sam Kass, a former nutrition advisor to President Obama and author of The Last Supper, described the pyramid as an "ecological disaster" in a Grist interview. He noted that livestock production drives the food system's emissions, with beef as the leading cause of global deforestation and land use change. Kass criticized the shift away from the MyPlate model, which recommended half a plate of fruits and vegetables, a quarter whole grains, and a quarter protein, calling it a more practical tool for balanced meals. He argued that the new approach ignores science in favor of ideology and undermines climate efforts, especially as the administration has rolled back related policies.
Kass advised consumers to eat less meat to mitigate environmental impact, praising legumes like beans as nutrient-dense, affordable, and climate-friendly alternatives. The U.S. ranks in the top 10 globally for per capita animal-based protein consumption, amplifying these concerns amid Paris Agreement emission targets.
