Prior to the development of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the US Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs established Dietary Goals for the United States in 1977. The Dietary Goals for the United States focused on nutrient-based and food-based goals. The committee’s main concentration was on energy balance, stating that Americans should consume only as much energy as they expanded and overweight Americans should consume less energy and expend more energy. Although the dietary goals were met to issue a recommended diet, industry groups and the scientific community doubted the credibility of the goals, due to lack of evidence-based research. In order to support the dietary goals, the committee, USDA, and Human Services sought
