WASHINGTON — The process of creating the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has begun. The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture announced April 14 they had released proposed scientific questions.

The questions focus on diet and health outcomes, including the relationship between diet and the risk of being overweight or obese. The 2025 Guidelines will place a new emphasis on weight loss and weight maintenance. New questions address ultra-processed foods and strategies to help Americans implement the Guidelines and prevent or manage being overweight or obese. The questions are based on the four criteria of relevance, importance, potential impact to federal programs and avoiding duplication.

The questions are available at dietaryguidelines.gov. The public may comment on the questions from April 15 to May 16 through Regulations.gov (docket number OASH-2022-0005).

The next step in creating the Guidelines will be a call for nominations for the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which will review evidence related to the scientific questions and submit a report to the secretaries of the HHS and the USDA. The HHS and the USDA will consider the report, along with federal agency and public comments, in developing the 2025-2030 Guidelines.