The guidelines were released by the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture. The report is updated every five years to include new revisions and dietary recommendations that endorse a healthier lifestyle.
The Dietary Guidelines serve as a foundation on nutrition policy both in the free market and in government programs from Washington all the way down to elementary school cafeteria menus.
This year’s Dietary Guidelines included recommendations for a variety of proteins, including lean meats and poultry, in addition to seafood, eggs, legumes, soy products and nuts and seeds. Over the past year, the panel members selected for the new guidelines had weighed whether to recommend that Americans consume fewer red meats, citing research that criticized beef, pork, lamb and chicken as contributors of obesity and disease.
Initial discussions also considered making recommendations that consumers weigh dietary choices based on how food production affects the environment.
In the end, the recommendations left out sustainability issues with the environment – and included recommendations highlighting the key nutrient contributions found in a variety of proteins.
It also specifies that certain studies show “eating patterns that include lower intake of meats as well as processed meats and processed poultry are associated with reduced risk of [cardiovascular disease] in adults.
“In separate analyses, food pattern modeling has demonstrated that lean meats and lean poultry can contribute important nutrients within limits for sodium, calories from saturated fats and added sugars, and total calories when consumed in recommended amounts in healthy eating patterns, such as Healthy U.S.-style and Mediterranean-style eating pattern,” the guidelines read in its “about meats and poultry” section.
"The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is one of many important tools that help to support a healthier next generation of Americans," says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines provides individuals with the flexibility to make healthy food choices that are right for them and their families and take advantage of the diversity of products available, thanks to America's farmers and ranchers."
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) applauded the new guidelines for using the latest nutritional evidence available, and the association noted that 38 cuts of beef now meet government guidelines for lean meat.
“Since the first Dietary Guidelines were released in 1980, external fat on beef has decreased 81 percent, and 65 percent of the most popular beef cuts sold at retail are lean, a prime example of beef producers responding to consumers’ nutritional preferences,” says NCBA president Philip Ellis.
NCBA released a statement from Dr. Richard Thorpe, a physician and Texas rancher, noting how the report included emphasis on nutritional value in beef.
“Numerous studies have shown positive benefits of lean beef in the diet, and I commonly encourage my patients to include beef in their diet to help them maintain a healthy weight and get the nutrients they need to be physically active,” Thorpe says.
To read more on the new guidelines, go to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans website. 
