AHS16 - Ancestral Health Symposium 2016

Though the ancestral health community has typically opted out of following their recommendations, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) continue to expand their scope so that few Americans will be unaffected by them. The creation of the 2015 DGA generated considerable amounts of media attention, public awareness, and legislative activity, with familiar battles over red meat and saturated fat joined by larger concerns related to sustainable diets and scientific rigor. The uproar surrounding the 2015 DGA demonstrates how, paradoxically, they are increasingly irrelevant to many as nutrition guidance, while they continue to extend their reach into the lives of all Americans. This presentation summarizes the recent controversy, outlines how the 2015 policy compares to previous editions, and illustrates how new aspects of the policy demonstrate why the ancestral health community must take an active leadership role in resisting the expansion of DGA-based principles and practices into local workplaces and communities.