Dear Secretary Rollins: Please Don’t Butcher the Science-Based Recommendations of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
- Chef Dawn
- May 7
- 2 min read
The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), appointed by the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, has completed its comprehensive, science-based report.
Their work is grounded in decades of peer-reviewed research, rigorous data analysis, and systematic reviews. This is the most robust body of nutrition evidence assembled in U.S. policy to date.
The Committee’s findings are clear and urgent:
73% of U.S. adults and 36% of children (2-19) are overweight or obese.
Over 38% of adolescents (ages 12–19) have prediabetes.
Americans under-consume vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy products, seafood, and fortified soy dairy alternatives
Americans over-consume refined grains, meat, poultry, and eggs.
Poor diet is the leading cause of nutrient and fiber deficiency, chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
The DGAC's recommendations reflect global scientific consensus: Americans need to shift their eating patterns toward more whole, minimally processed plant-based foods to prevent disease and promote long-term health.
Among the key recommendations:
Increase consumption of plant-based proteins such as legumes, nuts, seeds, soy, and whole grains.
Reduce intake of red and processed meats, which are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early mortality.
Emphasize vegetables, fruits, and fiber-rich foods to support gut health, weight regulation, and metabolic health.
Limit ultra-processed foods, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat.
These are not radical suggestions—they are consistent with the recommendations of the World Health Organization, American Heart Association, and leading medical journals like The Lancet and JAMA.
Yet I’m deeply concerned by your recent public statement:
“I won't say that we're starting from scratch, because I think a lot of well-intentioned people did a lot of good work on that. But you'll see by the end of this year, hopefully early fall, the new set of dietary guidelines coming out from our two agencies.”— Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins
This vague comment, coupled with your background—not in nutrition or medicine, but in agricultural leadership and cattle farming—raises real concerns. According to public sources, you earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural leadership from Texas A&M and guide your children in “show cattle careers” through Future Farmers of America and 4H【source: Agriculture Dive.
Let’s be clear: the Dietary Guidelines exist to protect human health, not to advance agricultural or industry interests.
Americans are struggling with preventable chronic illnesses. We need guidelines shaped by the best available nutrition science—not political calculations or pressure from powerful lobbies.
This is a critical moment. Please:
Respect the integrity of the DGAC's evidence-based recommendations.
Support a national shift toward plant-based foods that promote longevity, vitality, and health equity.
Redirect federal subsidies to support fruit and vegetable producers rather than the overproduction of meat and dairy.
Expand access to affordable, whole, plant-based foods for all Americans, especially underserved communities.
Secretary Rollins, the science is in. Please don't butcher it.
📣 Take Action: Tell Secretary Rollins You Expect Guidelines Based on Science, Not Special Interests
Americans deserve honest, evidence-based nutrition guidance. You can share your thoughts directly with Secretary Rollins at this link:👉 https://sengov.com/whitehouse/brooke-rollins/
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