“It’s vitally important that the Dietary Guidelines maintains its emphasis on the importance of consuming three servings of dairy every day.” That’s the main message IDFA delivered yesterday at a public meeting with officials of the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services regarding the recommendations released last month by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

The public was invited to provide written and oral comments on the committee’s report, which highlights current scientific evidence on topics related to diet, nutrition, and health. The report provides USDA and HHS with a foundation to use when developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nation’s nutrition policy.

“The Dietary Guidelines should encourage consumption of nutrient-dense foods, like milk, yogurt and cheese, including those that contain some added sugars, sodium or saturated fat,” said Michelle Matto, RD, IDFA’s nutrition and labeling consultant, who spoke on behalf of IDFA.  She noted that the report highlighted milk’s important contribution when it showed that diets without milk were lower in essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

She added that daily companies have made significant investments to improve the nutrient profile of their products by lowering fat, sugars and sodium while maintaining the taste and function that consumers expect.

Matto also emphasized the importance of communicating the recommendations in ways people can use when planning meals or shopping for groceries. Messages such as “Select three servings of dairy every day” can help Americans make better food choices and move toward healthier eating patterns, she concluded.

• Read IDFA’s oral comments here.

IDFA also will submit written comments by the May 8 deadline.

For more information, contact Matto at amfoodnutrition@gmail.com.