The new dietary guidelines for americans resembles more to one of those popular diets than in previous years. For the first time since 1980, it emphasizes more on weight loss and less on cardiovascular and other modern diseases risk.

Based on several years reports, the guideline concludes that Americans are fatter than ever. The key to solve this problem would be an eating scheme based on raw fruits and vegetables, low fat milk and diary products, whole grains and increased body exercise.

The Dietary Guideline for Americans (DGA) sounds at times like weight watchers: "when it comes to body weight control, it is calories that count, not the ratio of macronutrients in our daily food intake".

...and at times like Zone Diet : "However" - it continues - "when individuals want to lose weight, they should follow a diet that is within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) for fat, carbohydrates and protein, which are 20 to 35 percent of total calories, 45 to 65 percent of total calories and 10 to 35 percent of total calories, respectively".

Also, the 2005 DGA is concerned that diets which advice dramatic reduction in the daily intake of one macronutrient or another are usually to deprive the body of important, nourishing substances, not advisable on long-term, and though they usually show results in weight loss, it would be difficult and sometimes dangerous for health to maintain them.

"An efficient, sustainable weight reduction ultimately depends on a change in lifestyle", the 2005 DGA proclaims.

Critics of the government nutritional guide mostly agree with the advices of eating less trans-fats and added sugars but they can't understand why there are no specific limitations to those substances.

"It has been a big problem in the past that basically, the federal government has published a booklet and then crossed their fingers and hoped that Americans ate better," says Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group.

She also opined that simple advice is not enough to solve it. What is needed is significant investment in programs and changes in policy and the food environment in order to help Americans eat better and watch their weight.

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