Blog: 85% of Public Comments to USDA on Science Protocols Focused on Need for Accurate Low-Carb Diet Definition
January 30, 2020
There were over 350 public comments submitted to the USDA on low-carbohydrate diets – at least 85% of the total submissions during a two-week allowed for public comment on the scientific protocols. USDA officials introduced these protocols during the third public meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on October 24-25, 2019 in Washington, DC.
There’s clearly a large and passionate community of people who care about having a true lowcarbohydrate diet included as one option in the next iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, due out in 2020.
The Dietary Guidelines currently recommend that all Americans eat 50% to 55% of their calories as carbohydrates – but a definition of “low-carbohydrate” that’s greater than 25% of calories is not a true low-carbohydrate diet.
The impact of using this definition will be an inaccurate assessment of the value of this dietary approach in the Advisory Committee’s scientific report. The report is used to create the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which should be inclusive of a low-carbohydrate eating pattern.
The inclusion of a true low-carbohydrate dietary approach in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines is supported by ample scientific evidence as well as tens of thousands of success stories (some of which you can read here).
We are asking the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services (USDAHHS) to use the most accurate science in creating recommended eating patterns for the 2020 Dietary Guidelines.
Read excerpts of public comments submitted by advocates:
