A Registered Dietitian’s Perspective On Dietary Guidance, Stress & Wellbeing: Principles, Priorities & Practice

Nutrition has moved far beyond the exam room and the classroom. Today, it shows up everywhere —on social media, in policy debates, at the grocery store, and at the dinner table. At the same time, many Americans are navigating unprecedented stress, rising food costs, challenging health priorities, and a steady stream of conflicting nutrition information. In this environment, dietary guidance is no longer just about what to eat; it is increasingly intertwined with overall wellness and competing priorities.

In the final timed release of the 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus On Wellbeing & Body Weight, we turn our attention to wellbeing. While approximately half of Americans describe their health as excellent or very good, this share has steadily declined since 2012. At the same time, self-reported stress levels have escalated since 2022, with about two-thirds of respondents saying they have been very or somewhat stressed in the past six months. Financial concerns —both with the broader economy and personal finances —top the list of contributors of stress, followed by health and medical issues and politics.

Against the backdrop of mounting health and financial pressure, January 2026 ushered in heightened public discourse around nutrition. As many Americans were recovering from holiday celebrations and resetting routines for the new year, the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were released. And this edition marked a clear departure from previous iterations.  

The DGA differed in several notable ways:

From Plate To Pyramid: Implications For Consumer Understanding & Wellbeing

Although the DGA were not historically developed to target consumers, 44% of respondents in the 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey report knowing at least a fair amount about them. In contrast, MyPlate enjoys (or did enjoy) substantially higher recognition: 77% of Americans recognize the icon, and the proportion who say they know a lot or a fair amount about it has increased significantly since 2013. This level of brand awareness is difficult to replicate and relinquish.

In some respects, the new Guidelines align with existing consumer perspectives; in others, they diverge. For example, protein continues to resonate strongly with Americans. A high-protein diet was the most commonly followed eating pattern in the past year, and “a good source of protein” is the top criterion consumers use to define a healthy food. “Low in sugar” and “minimal or no processing” also rank highly. The new DGA recommend prioritizing protein at every meal, strongly warn against added sugars, and promote consuming whole foods. They emphasize meat and full-fat dairy and note that a low-carbohydrate diet may be appropriate for individuals with certain conditions.

Whether the New Pyramid helps consumers build a healthier plate —or introduces new questions —remains to be seen. Consumers may wonder about the relative healthfulness of foods within and across groups: Are whole grains less healthy than vegetables? Are leafy greens meaningfully different from broccoli? Are grapes and butter similarly healthy? Complicating matters further, FDA labeling regulations do not classify butter or tallow as “healthy fats” although they are labeled that way in the DGA. For consumers who are already relatively knowledgeable about food and nutrition, these nuances may add complexity rather than clarity.

Finally, the updated guidance reinstates the concept of “servings” instead of standardized, measurable units such as cups and ounces. Will consumers understand how much of each food group to eat based on the foods they enjoy? Will they be able to distinguish between the servings they place on their plate and those listed on packaged food labels?

Regardless, dietary consumption data clearly demonstrate that many Americans do not follow the DGA.

Perfection Vs. Progress: Rethinking What DGA Adherence Means

Sustainable eating patterns must meet multiple needs simultaneously. It is not enough for foods to be affordable, healthy, and convenient—even though these remain the top purchase drivers in IFIC’s consumer research year over year. For dietary habits to last, they also need to be enjoyable, accessible, and compatible with an individual’s—and a family’s—lifestyle and routines.

While high protein eating tops the list of dietary patterns followed, mindful eating ranks second. Defined as “paying attention to internal cues, food choices, and eating behaviors to support more intentional eating,” mindful eating may reflect the dual pressures consumers feel—striving for balance while also being compelled to label foods and nutrients as “good” or “bad.”

Still, many consumers are turning to external means to eat more healthfully and manage weight. GLP-1 medication use is at an all-time high. These drugs greatly reduce “food noise” and may come with side effects for many—influencing food intake and dietary patterns overall.

Clarifying Complexity

Just as nutrient-dense foods are only healthy if people eat them, science-based dietary recommendations are only effective if people can realistically follow them.

IFIC’s approach to promoting healthy and realistic eating patterns keeps the consumer at the center. Through media monitoring, social listening, and both qualitative and quantitative research, we examine and uncover what consumers believe, perceive, and achieve.

While dietary guidance itself has remained relatively stable over the past several decades, eight in ten Americans say it is hard to know what to believe because nutrition information seems to keep changing—a perception that has intensified over time. As this edition of the DGA departs from some long-standing recommendations, we will be watching closely to see whether consumers understand the nuance or whether confusion deepens. Only time will tell.

What we do know is that perceptions of consistency matter, as does resonance—influencing trust not only in food and nutrition information, but also in the experts and institutions tasked with translating science into guidance. Consistent with our mission, IFIC will continue to study consumer perceptions, understanding, and behaviors following the release of the new DGA and Food Pyramid.

What Can Health Professionals Do To Maximize Healthy Habits & Minimize Confusion?

The 2025–2030 DGA offer broad principles rather than prescriptive targets compared to recent editions, and explicitly encourage consumers to consult their healthcare provider for personalized guidance. While this flexibility reflects the complexity of individual health needs, it also places greater responsibility on those who translate guidance into practice and action.

Registered dietitians as well as other credentialed nutrition researchers and communicators are uniquely positioned to help consumers interpret broad recommendations and apply them in realistic, actionable ways taking into account health status, cultural preferences, budgets, and daily routines. In doing so, nutrition experts can help shift the conversation from rigid rules toward progress, sustainability, and confidence in food and beverages choices.

At the same time, nutrition professionals play a critical role beyond direct consumer education. As the new DGA are absorbed across the healthcare landscape, allied medical professionals including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, fitness professionals, and health coaches—may increasingly field questions about what the guidance means in practice. Nutrition experts can serve as trusted resources for these audiences as well, helping to ensure consistent, evidence-based messages across disciplines.

In an environment where consumers already feel that food and nutrition advice keeps changing, alignment among those who advise the public is essential. Clear, coordinated communication—rooted in robust evidence and responsive to real-world constraints—can help reinforce trust, reduce confusion, and support healthier habits over time.