Decades of low-fat food pyramid advice may have driven obesity surge, doctor says

The new inverted food pyramid, introduced by the Trump administration in January, has sparked some controversy in nutrition circles because it places greater emphasis on dairy products, red meats and foods high in fat.

The upper part of the pyramid, which is now the wider part of the structure, consists of meat, fat, fruits and vegetables, while the narrow lower part consists of whole grains.

Dr. Co-founder of Function Health and author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored.” Mark Hyman commented on the backlash the new guidelines received in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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“The pyramid is merely a graphical representation of the content… and it is truly impossible to create a suitable visual that will satisfy everyone,” the Massachusetts-based expert said. “Could it have been better? Of course.”

Hyman, host of “The Dr. Hyman Show” podcast, praised the new model for focusing on what is driving obesity in America, although he acknowledged there is room for improvement.

“Has this reversed the scenario we used to have, which was the government’s set of low-fat, high-carbohydrate recommendations that led to obesity, the diabetes epidemic, and all the resulting costs and consequences on society?” he asked. “Yes we had to fix this.”

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A central component of America’s nutrition policy is what Americans are told to eat and why, Hyman writes in his new book.

“I think this is a good step in the right direction.”

The doctor highlighted key updates to the U.S. dietary guideline, including a stronger emphasis on whole foods, limits on highly processed products and sugar-sweetened beverages, and revised protein recommendations to “reflect current science.”

“This is revolutionary,” Hyman said.

Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored.” (Functional Health; Small, Brown Spark)

While the updated pyramid also recommends consuming whole grains, the previous guideline gave the green light to consuming white flour in portions, and the doctor said this was not ideal for human health.

Hyman noted that the guidelines are “a little more protein-focused” than before, with less emphasis on low-fat and fat-free dairy products. The expert called the low-fat movement “problematic.”

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“The data doesn’t support that,” he said. “Maybe it was the opposite; there was some evidence that children who consumed low-fat or fat-free milk actually had more obesity problems because it wasn’t as satisfying.”

The doctor highlighted key updates to the U.S. dietary guideline, including a stronger emphasis on whole foods, limits on highly processed products and sugar-sweetened beverages, and revised protein recommendations to “reflect current science.” (iStock)

“In general, I think [the guidelines are] a huge improvement,” Hyman said. “Are they perfect? No. Were there problems? Yes. “But this is a radical departure from the past and I think it was a good step in the right direction.”

Many Americans struggle with a variety of health issues that may require special diets, such as high cholesterol, inflammation or lactose intolerance.

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Hyman noted that if he had written the guidelines himself, he would have stated that dairy was not a mandatory recommendation.

“There is no scientific evidence that people need this,” he said. “This is an extremely good choice if you want to do that.”

The doctor said milk consumption should be a “personalized choice” depending on how it affects the person. (iStock)

Dairy consumption should be a “personalized choice” depending on how it affects the person, the doctor said, adding that telling Americans they should choose three servings a day would be “problematic” guidance.

“It should be understood that 75% of the population is lactose intolerant, many people experience inflammation or other problems as a result of consuming dairy products, and this should be an individualized choice depending on how it affects them.”

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Consuming protein also requires a level of customization, especially for those with certain medical conditions such as kidney failure, the expert said.

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“[The government] He could make more nuanced explanations about aging and longevity… and [around] Hyman, when you get old, sick, etc. You need higher protein requirements, he added. “I think there are some nuances that can be highlighted here.”