Mai-Lis Hellénius in DN Debatt on the new American dietary guidelines
The new American dietary guidelines turn the traditional food pyramid upside down; meat and fatty dairy products are placed at the broad base and vegetables at the other end. The advice is presented as new knowledge, but is characterised by simplifications and political considerations rather than comprehensive science, says Mai-Lis Hellénius.
In the opinion piece, Professor Mai-Lis Hellénius at the Department of Medicine, Solna, KI, together with journalist Colette van Luik, explains that the dietary guidelines formulated in text and what is presented in the graphic dietary pyramid signal different things. The dietary guidelines state that saturated fat intake should be limited to no more than 10 per cent of total calorie intake, which is in line with established research. But the graphic food pyramid signals the exact opposite.
Mai-Lis Hellenius and Colette van Luik emphasise that when these messages create uncertainty even in Sweden, we must act to protect public health. And there is a risk that this could legitimise a diet with more meat, butter and animal fats - even though these are clearly linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the disease that still claims the most lives.
Read the full article in Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish).