Beth Johnson

As someone with a master’s degree in nutrition and 25 years in food policy, I’ve participated in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) process since it began and now work with the potato industry as a food policy advisor. Over those two and a half decades, the process by which the national nutrition recommendations are developed has evolved – and rightfully so. Every year, we gain more knowledge into how diet impacts overall health, which is why the DGAs are updated. However, what is of particular interest to some of us long-time participants is how this committee will thread the needle of addressing more subjective issues such as cultural preferences with scientifically based research on nutrients needs and healthy eating patterns.

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