The hottest Nutrition Policy Substack posts right now

Despite months of promises to stop demonizing saturated fat, the updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines still keep a 10% cap on saturated fat.
Keeping that cap makes the new guidelines internally contradictory and undermines the earlier pledge to change course.
The release was delayed, the final guidelines are much shorter (about eight pages) than past editions, and they will be unveiled at an invite-only HHS event.

The new guidelines were produced through a faster, less transparent process that replaced the usual independent scientific review, raising concerns about credibility and how evidence was selected.
The nutrition messaging shifted — stressing “real food,” increasing emphasis on protein, reframing some saturated fats, and tightening sugar limits — which could oversimplify complex food issues and stigmatize people who rely on processed foods.
Because federal programs like school meals and WIC must follow the guidelines, these changes will require more funding, staff, and kitchen capacity and could worsen inequities, while the more political tone may make the guidance harder to trust and use.

Flu is surging across the U.S., with influenza‑like illness at its highest level in six years; a mutated H3N2 strain plus falling vaccination rates are driving many hospitalizations and deaths, and vaccination plus early antivirals still help reduce severe outcomes.
Eighteen states are piloting SNAP purchase restrictions, but the research is limited and mixed — restrictions can cut purchases of targeted items yet may not improve overall diet or health, and they raise concerns about cost, autonomy, and stigma; pairing restrictions with incentives looks more promising.
Measles cases topped 2,000 in 2025, mostly in unvaccinated people, which risks the U.S. losing its WHO measles elimination status and could allow measles to become endemic.

We’re in a very bad flu season with influenza-like illness at its highest levels since the late 1990s, driven by an H3N2 subclade that partly evades this year’s shot. Getting a flu vaccine now, using antivirals early if sick, masking in crowded indoor spaces, and staying home when ill can reduce severe illness and spread.
The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines are radically shorter and replace MyPlate with an inverted food pyramid, emphasizing whole foods, more protein, and some animal fats while softening alcohol advice. They diverged from the independent advisory report and removed health equity from evidence considerations, which could change federal nutrition programs and clinical guidance.
New Medicaid work and renewal rules are expected to cause millions to lose coverage, leading to over a million missed cancer screenings and preventable deaths in the next two years. HRSA’s endorsement of at-home HPV self-collection tests may expand cervical screening access but isn’t a full substitute for clinician care and follow-up.

RSV and flu cases are rising, especially in young children, making vaccination important right now.
A recent infant formula recall has linked botulism cases to ByHeart brand, so it's advised to stop using this product immediately.
New blood pressure guidelines recommend using a calculator for personalized heart health and suggest checking blood pressure at home for better accuracy.

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The 2026 U.S. dietary guidelines emphasize "eat real food" and cut back on ultra-processed foods. They stop demonizing saturated fat and explicitly include full-fat dairy and traditional fats like butter and tallow.
The guidelines push prioritizing protein (about 1.2–1.6 g/kg), which will likely nudge people from processed, seed‑oil‑heavy foods toward more meat and dairy and may help population health, though some individuals do better with lower protein.
Because government guidance shapes hospital, school, military, and packaged food choices, this shift could meaningfully reduce seed oil use and change what Americans actually eat, making the institutional impact as important as the individual advice.