In an interview with Pharmacy Times in advance of the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) 2026 Fall Clinical Lipid Update, Carol F. Kirkpatrick, PhD, MPH, RDN, FNLA, director of the Idaho State University (ISU) Wellness Center and a clinical associate professor in the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS) at ISU, discussed what changed in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and what those changes mean for cardiometabolic health.
Kirkpatrick noted that the guidelines are intended for the general population and that many core messages—eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and limiting highly processed foods, added sugars, alcohol, and sodium—carry over from previous editions. What has shifted, she explained, is emphasis. The guidelines now prioritize protein at every meal, with a specific target of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg of body weight per day. Kirkpatrick said randomized controlled trial evidence supports replacing refined carbohydrates with healthful proteins, preferably from plants, to improve lipoproteins and lipids. Full-fat dairy, which drew significant press attention, can fit into a healthy dietary pattern, she said, but it requires more effort to keep saturated fat in check.
