The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a joint effort of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department Health and Human Services (HHS) were released on January 31, 2011. The ultimate goal of the Guidelines is to improve the health of current and future generation through promoting healthy eating and physical activity. The Guidelines state that the obesity epidemic presents the greatest threat to the health of Americans, in that 1/3 of all Americans are now considered to be obese and nearly 3/4 are over-weight.
The obesity epidemic was cited as the primary focus of the Guidelines and that poor diet and physical inactivity are the primary contributors to this problem. The Guidelines recommend: