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Exhibit 536

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Overview and Considerations for Congress (R47488)

Exhibit 536 ยท Congressional Research Service report

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Overview and Considerations for Congress (R47488)

One issue identified with the 2020-2025 DGA cycle was the composition of the DGAC and, more specifically, members with perceived conflicts of interest.

Documents the history (1977 Dietary Goals; 1980 Senate Appropriations report directing an external review; 1983 committee; 1987 House conference report re-establishing a DGAC; 1990 Act), the committee-selection process (SGE appointment, background checks, OGE 450), NASEM's 2017 recommendations and the departments' responses, the 2015 scope dispute, the 2015 cholesterol change, the 2020 conflict-of-interest critique and the departments' decision not to adopt the DGAC's added-sugars and alcohol recommendations.

Source
Congressional Research Service
Date
28 March 2023
Quoted from
Section 'Controversies in the DGA', 'The 2020-2025 DGA'
Grade
Primary record
Document
https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R47488.html
Accessed
2026-11-09
Cited by
Findings citing this exhibit
Note
Page locators not captured.

Cited by

Finding AGR-4.1
Primary record The 1990 statute requires the Dietary Guidelines every five years, "based on the preponderance of the scientific and medical knowledge," and does not mention advisory committees, their membership or conflicts of interest. The Congressional Research Service records that appropriations language in 1980 and 1987 directed the external review and advisory group that became the standing committee.
Finding AGR-4.7
Peer-reviewed A peer-reviewed analysis found that 19 of the 20 members of the 2020 advisory committee (95 percent) had at least one tie to an industry actor, counting 720 relationship-year instances, most of them research funding and board seats. The Nutrition Coalition funded the study, and Teicholz is a co-author.
Finding AGR-4.8
Primary record For the 2020 committee the USDA ethics official found no entry on any of the 20 members' OGE Form 450 that would prevent appointment. For the same cycle HHS and USDA declined NASEM's recommendations for an external third-party screener (cost and time) and a public list of provisional appointees (privacy). A coalition letter states that OGE Form 450 is exempt from public disclosure.
Finding AGR-4.10
Primary record The 2020 advisory committee recommended lowering the added-sugars limit from 10 to 6 percent of calories and the limit for men's alcohol intake from two drinks to one. HHS and USDA did not adopt either.