Today, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Agriculture (USDA) released the eighth edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

"Historically, the guidelines have focused on the amount of sugar, fat, cholesterol and sodium we should eat each day. The latest version reminds us to limit the amount of sugar and salt we eat each day," said David Sarwer, associate dean of research and director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE).

The guidelines are released every five years. The latest version emphasizes not only the composition of an individual's diet but also eating patterns. Said Sarwer, ”In the past several years, there has been an increasing amount of evidence suggesting that we need to think about not only what, and how much, we eat, but that we need to work toward finding a pattern of eating that promotes health across the lifespan. I am optimistic that the educational materials from the guidelines scheduled to be released later this year will be a valuable resource to help all of us eat healthier. "