The release of the newest national dietary guidelines could be postponed to the second quarter following the dramatic shift in the US’ dietary guidelines emphasizing protein and healthy fats, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.
International dietary recommendations certainly would change with the development of nutrition science, he said.
Although Taiwan’s updated dietary guidelines were slated to be released this quarter, more changes could be made based on the latest US dietary guidelines and recent studies, Shih said, adding that the finalized version could be published as late as the second quarter.
Photo: AFP
US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday unveiled the newest US dietary guidelines showing an inverted pyramid prioritizing red meat, whole milk and animal-based fats such as beef tallow and butter — which it called “protein, dairy and healthy fats” — at the top, in line with vegetables and fruits, while whole grains make up the smallest portion at the bottom of the pyramid.
The latest US guidelines, which are updated every five years, markedly increased the amount of recommended daily protein intake from 0.8g to up to 1.6g per kilogram of body weight for adults.
That means an adult weighing 68kg is advised to take in 82g to 109g of protein per day, instead of 54g.
The new US guidelines also specified that beef tallow and butter — despite being mostly saturated fats — are good options for cooking oils such as olive oil, prompting debates in the nutrition science community.
The change was led by US Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy Jr, who reportedly had delayed releasing revisions to the guidelines for months as they were proposed by a scientific advisory committee under former US president Joe Biden with a focus on plant-based diets.
New York University nutrition professor Marion Nestle said the latest US dietary guidelines recommend “heavily meat-based diets” and protein has become “a euphemism for meat,” the news outlet Live Science reported.
Shih said recent studies showed that many food ingredients originally considered “unhealthy” are actually good nutritional sources when consumed in moderation, such as egg yolks or whole milk.
The point is “moderate consumption” instead of completely excluding such ingredients, he said.
The draft of Taiwan’s new dietary guidelines was completed last year, the Health Promotion Administration said.
Meetings with experts would be held to review the US’ and other international dietary guidelines and evaluate the dietary habits of Taiwanese and special needs of different demographic groups, it said.
Taiwan Dietitian Association deputy president Huang Tsui-hua (黃翠華) said the US dietary guidelines are “recommendations for Americans,” and Taiwan should have its own version based on its dietary needs.
The US guidelines send mixed messages by discouraging processed foods and added sugars while promoting red meat and full-fat dairy products, she said, adding that most research showed that excessive intake of red meat and processed meat would raise the risk of colorectal cancer.
Another drastic change to the new guidelines was the removal of alcohol intake limits of up to two drinks for men and up to one drink for women.
Instead, the new guidelines simply state that people are advised to “consume less alcohol for better overall health.”
About 47 percent of Taiwanese have poor alcohol metabolism and therefore higher risk of cancer with prolonged acetaldehyde exposure, Liver Disease Prevention and Treatment Research Foundation chief executive officer Nien Hsiao-ching (粘曉菁) said, calling on Taiwanese to drink as little alcohol as possible.
The harmful effects of alcohol cannot be measured simply by average daily consumption, as binge drinking or relying on liquor to fall asleep or relieve pressure are much more harmful to health, Mackay Memorial Hospital psychiatrist Fang Chun-kai (方俊凱) said.
Regarding gender and age, Fang said women could develop more harmful effects from alcohol faster than men, as their blood alcohol levels tend to be higher from consuming the same amount of alcohol.
Children and teenagers should refrain from drinking alcohol, as it could affect neurological development, he added.
Fang also suggested that Taiwan follow the example of Japan instead of the US, as Japan’s alcohol consumption guidelines published in 2024 measure consumption by “daily pure-alcohol intake limits” and stress that drinking less than the threshold does not guarantee safety.
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