Reminder: Public Comment Period for the Dietary Guidelines Closes Soon

It's time to get involved with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has offered its report for public comment and review, and all comments must be made before midnight EDT on May 8, 2014. Take a look at the "Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee" today, then make your voice heard!To comment on the report, visit the Public Comment page of the Dietary Guidelines 2015 site. There, you can offer your thoughts on the guidelines in 250 words or less. Feel free to reference specific pages or passages of the report in your comments. If you're citing outside sources, offer a citation or link to an electronic copy instead of an attachment if you can.Key points you may consider for comment or further research:

• Dietary cholesterol intake not important for heart disease (read a free download for diet and heart disease research which cites many studies  here, page 20 )
• Sugar intake needs to go lower (WHO is in agreement, see what they say here)
• Environmental sustainability is important (read what Marion Nestle has to say here and view an evidence-based report on the combined message of sustainability and nutrition here because this could be an important motivator for consumers to consume a more plant-based diet)

There is a twist on the comments though, and that is the time limit. The form you use to submit a comment will only remain open for 20 minutes. There is no way to save a comment and return to it later -- your whole response must take less than 20 minutes to submit. Consider drafting your thoughts elsewhere and only opening the form when you feel you're ready to submit a final version. Then you can just copy and paste.Since the report has been released, the Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Agriculture have been reviewing it, along with the submitted comments and input from federal agencies. All of this will be used to create the actual Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015, which should be released this fall.May 8, 2015 is fast approaching! Share your thoughts with the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee today!And while we're on the subject of the Dietary Guidelines, check out these amazing nutrition education resources, which are all based on the scientific data the guidelines provide...