07.01.03
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, D.C., recently advised the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) to revise the nation’s dietary guidelines to include new information that omega 3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), while trans fatty acids may increase the risk of CHD. OMB said, “Since CHD kills over 500,000 Americans each year, even a small improvement in dietary habits could save thousands of lives.” In its letter to HHS, OMB recommends that HHS and USDA modify the Dietary Guidelines and Food Guide Pyramid, which are the cornerstones of the government’s nutritional information. The Dietary Guidelines affect the content of more than 25 million school lunches, while the Food Guide Pyramid appears on many foods products, providing consumers with an outline of what to eat each day. Revised every five years, the Dietary Guidelines are scheduled to be updated in 2005, while the Food Guide Pyramid has not been updated since 1992. The American Heart Association (AHA), Washington, D.C., applauded OMB’s efforts as it recently revised its own dietary guidelines to recommend the consumption of certain fish that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. OMB’s prompt letters come on the heels of several Bush Administration initiatives to improve the nation’s overall health, such as the HealthierUS Initiative. These changes would continue the Administration’s efforts to help Americans live healthier lifestyles, according to OMB.