U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2011.

Although some will insist that the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans offers the same “moderation, variety, and balance” mantra as provided previously, this argument is clearly unfounded. Rather, this document represents an important step forward for nutrition scientists, public health professionals, and the general public. As our first Dietary Guidelines document based on a systematic, evidence-based review of the literature embedded in a holistic view of the complexity of our food environment, this publication will serve well to inform individual Americans which dietary patterns are proven effective in improving health outcomes. It will also provide a versatile template by which public health agencies can design, implement, and evaluate nutrition-related programs; and food manufacturers can contribute by developing and marketing more healthful food items. We can be encouraged that nutrition scientists will continue to not only get it right but also get it better. After all, as scientific understanding of how health and nutrition are related evolves, so should our dietary recommendations.