ABSTRACT
The Dietary Guidelines is designed for professionals to help all individuals ages two years and older and their families consume a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet. The typical eating patterns consumed by many in the United States do not align with the recommendations in the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines. An underlying premise of the Dietary Guidelines is that nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods. All forms of foods, including fresh, canned, dried, and frozen, can be included in healthy eating patterns. The Dietary Guidelines describe the characteristics of healthy eating and physical activity patterns, and it is clear that across all population groups, the vast majority of people in the United States are not meeting these recommendations. The Communicator’s Guide can help health professionals with customizing nutrition education materials for a specific audience. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines also provides 14 appendices as resources that can be used in developing policies, programs, and educational materials.
