A new Perspective published in The Journal of Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Nutrition, reviews the evidence supporting protein recommendations in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and identifies areas where additional research could strengthen future dietary guidance, according to a July 24 release.
The article titled "Perspectives on the Protein Recommendations in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" examines the updated recommendation of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day as outlined in the latest Dietary Guidelines. It compares this guidance with previous editions, findings from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report, and current research on protein intake and health.
The authors highlight strengths of these guidelines, such as their focus on healthy eating patterns and recognition of higher protein intakes—specifically within the range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram—for weight management among individuals with overweight and obesity. They also discuss limitations in available evidence used to develop these recommendations and say that more research is needed to determine how this range applies across different U.S. population groups.
Speaking on behalf of his co-authors, Dr. Stefan Pasiakos, Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, said, "We acknowledge the strengths of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, particularly the emphasis on high-quality protein foods and the evidence supporting higher protein intakes for weight management, but the central purpose of our Perspective was to examine whether this evidence is sufficient to justify a universal higher-protein dietary recommendation for all Americans across the lifespan. The guidelines fall short of that standard, and what is optimal for one segment of the population should not be considered optimal for all without sufficient evidence. We hope future editions of the Dietary Guidelines are grounded in an evidence base broad enough to serve all Americans, not only those for whom the current data were generated."
The Perspective paper explores topics including essentiality of dietary protein and encourages further research into varying needs across populations so that future guidance can be strengthened by a broader base of scientific knowledge.
These issues will also be discussed at NUTRITION 2026—the American Society for Nutrition's flagship annual meeting—scheduled from July 25-28, 2026 in National Harbor, Maryland.
