America is sick, according to the Eat Real Food campaign.
That’s why the Trump administration says it launched an inverted food pyramid and new dietary guidelines that challenge decades of past nutritional standards.
In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary (DHHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the new inverted food pyramid.
The original food pyramid was adapted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1992 from Sweden. The model was revised in 2005 to be called MyPyramid, which was later replaced by MyPlate in 2011.
The new dietary guidelines for Americans for 2025-30 move meat, fats and vegetables to the top and whole grains at the bottom in a substantially smaller amount. This is the first major change since MyPlate was released. The pyramid model isn’t necessarily getting good reviews from experts.
“The pyramid I think as a visual, it doesn’t get a very high grade,” said Stephanie Annett, the registered dietitian at the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) at Fresno State.
Annett recommends using the MyPlate model. MyPlate clearly lays out the correct proportions of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. It leaves specific food choices up to the individual and can be customized for certain people, like athletes.
MyPlate was released by Michelle Obama to simplify nutrition.
Annett said that the pyramid model can be a misleading visual for consumers, because every person has different nutritional needs. The correct portions of food are not visually laid out on the food pyramid model, and the pictures of food items on the new pyramid, such as steak or eggs, can be restrictive.
The DHHS provides data that Americans are affected by high rates of obesity, diabetes and chronic diseases. Ninety percent of healthcare spending in the U.S. is used to treat chronic diseases, many of which are connected to diet and lifestyle choices.
“Typically, when you do see someone experiencing, like, cholesterol problems or something, it is usually tied to their nutrition,” said Maya Murillo, a Fresno State nursing student.
Many of these health issues are linked to the consumption of highly processed food. New U.S. guidelines call for Americans to eat non-processed, whole foods as the solution.
Murillo follows a strict gluten-free diet herself that aligns with the new pyramid.
“As soon as I did switch to that diet, I saw a lot of changes in my lifestyle and my health,” Murillo said.
As groceries get more expensive and people lead busier lifestyles, many people in their 20s have turned to higher-protein diets paired with rice in order to get their calories in.
“Even before they flipped it, I think that I was following that pyramid,” said Christian Cortez, a mechanical engineering major at Fresno State. “I thought it was kind of flipped upside down from the start, so I’m kind of glad they fixed it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the new dietary guidelines urge consumers to prioritize protein and full-fat dairy products, and avoid processed foods and added sugars. They also recommend reducing the consumption of refined carbohydrates and lowering carbohydrate consumption altogether.
“I do like the new pyramid’s guide for less processed food,” Annett said.
As part of the initiative, Kennedy also wants to end the “war on fat.” Since the 1980s, there has been a standing public health campaign to cut saturated fats from Americans’ diets, which were linked to heart disease and obesity.
The dietary guidelines recommend not exceeding the consumption of 10% of saturated fat from total daily calorie intake.
This is the same recommendation made in previous years; however, the new guidelines suggest adding healthy fats to meals. These fats are found in meats, seafood, nuts, full-fat dairy products, olives and avocados.
“But with the visual and the proportions there, that would be very difficult to do,” Annett said.
Because the new guidelines recommend so many high-fat proteins and full-fat dairy products, maintaining under 10% of daily saturated fats could be a problem for most people.
The war has now been declared on sugar and processed foods. Any pre-prepared or ready-to-eat foods should be avoided according to the new guidelines, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas and energy drinks.
The guidelines limit added sugar and artificial flavoring consumption. It is recommended that no more than 10 grams of added sugar should be included in one meal.
For the first time since the release of the dietary guidelines for Americans in 1980, a set limit for alcohol consumption has been removed.
Now, the guidelines say, “Consume less alcohol for better overall health.”
The only limitation of avoiding alcohol is pregnant women and people with an alcohol-use disorder. Previous guidelines have limited women to one drink per day and men to two.
Students can visit the SHCC free of charge if they have questions or need individualized help with their nutrition. When it comes to nutrition, every person is going to have difference.
