2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Food Pattern Modeling: Reports and Supplements

Food pattern modeling is one of three approaches the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (Committee) used to review the scientific evidence.

Food pattern modeling is a methodology used to illustrate how changes to the amounts or types of foods and beverages in an existing dietary pattern might affect meeting nutrient needs. It can also be used to develop quantitative dietary patterns.

The Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (Scientific Report) provides more detail about the food pattern modeling results and the findings from the Committee’s work, along with its advice to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This page provides an overview and guide to accessing all the 2025 food pattern modeling results within the Scientific Report and supplements.

Food Pattern Modeling Results

The Committee used the results of 9 food pattern modeling analyses to answer one overarching scientific question as shown in the figure below. The Committee also conducted 2 exploratory food pattern modeling analyses.

The corresponding table that follows lists the overarching question or analytic question(s), along with the location the question is discussed in the Scientific Report, and the corresponding links to the data supplement, food pattern modeling report, and a priori protocol. 

Prior to analyzing the data, the Committee, with support from the food pattern modeling team, developed a protocol for how each question would be answered using food pattern modeling. The protocol, or plan, included the analytic framework that described the overall scope and the approach used to answer the question, and an analytic plan that detailed the data and subsequent analysis to be considered. The Committee provided updates about its work during its meetings, which were open to the public. The public was encouraged to submit written comments to the Committee on topics relevant to its work, including on its protocols and draft findings presented at its meetings.  

Analytic or Overarching Food Pattern Modeling Question	FPM Protocola	FPM Reporta	Data Supplementc	Scientific Report Chapterd
Basis Nutrient Profiles Analysis Analytic Question Should foods and beverages with lower nutrient density (i.e., those with added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium) contribute to item clusters, representative foods, and therefore the nutrient profiles for each food group and subgroup used in modeling the USDA Dietary Patterns?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 9
WWEIA Population Groups Analytic Question What are the differences between nutrient profiles calculated using the dietary intakes of the total U.S. population and population groups?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 9
Dairy and Fortified Soy Alternatives Analytic Questions What are the implications for nutrient intakes when modifying the Dairy and Fortified Soy Alternatives group quantities within the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern?  What are the implications for nutrient intakes when Dairy food and beverage sources are replaced with non-Dairy alternatives?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Fruits Analytic Question What are the implications for nutrient intakes when modifying the Fruits food group quantities within the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Vegetables Analytic Question What are the implications for nutrient intakes when modifying the Vegetables food group and subgroup quantities within the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Grains Analytic Questions What are the implications for nutrient intakes when modifying the quantities of the Grains group within the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern?  What are the implications for nutrient intakes when specific individual staple grains are emphasized; or when the Grains group is replaced with other staple carbohydrate foods (i.e., Starchy Vegetables; Beans, Peas, and Lentils; Red and Orange vegetables)?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Protein Foods Analytic Questions What are the implications for nutrient intakes when modifying the Protein Foods group and subgroup quantities within the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern or Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern?  What are the implications for nutrient intakes when proportions of animal-based Protein Foods subgroups are reduced and proportions of plant-based Protein Foods subgroups are increased?	Download	Download	Download	Part D.  Chapter 10
Ranges of Nutrient Density Analytic Question What quantities of foods and beverages lower in nutrient density can be accommodated in the USDA Dietary Patterns while meeting nutritional goals within calorie levels?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Removing Animal Sources of Foods & Beverages Analytic Question - Exploratory Analysis Can nutrient goals be met when animal sources of foods and beverages are removed from the Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern for ages 2 years and older?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Reducing Carbohydrate Containing Foods Analytic Question - Exploratory Analysis Can nutrient goals be met when carbohydrate-containing foods and beverages are reduced in the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern for ages 2 years and older?	Download	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 10
Diet Simulations Analytic Question Do simulated diets that meet the updated USDA Dietary Patterns and reflect variation in dietary intakes achieve nutrient adequacy?	Download	Download	View Downloads (6)	Part D. Chapter 11
Overarching Question Considering each life stage, should changes be made to the USDA Dietary Patterns (Healthy U.S.-Style, Healthy Mediterranean-Style, and/or Healthy Vegetarian)? And, should additional Dietary Patterns be developed/proposed based on: Findings from systematic reviews, data analysis, and/or food pattern modeling analyses; and/or Population norms (e.g., starchy vegetables are often consumed interchangeably with grains), preferences (e.g., emphasis on one staple grain versus another), or needs (e.g., lactose intolerance) of the diverse communities and cultural foodways within the U.S. population?	n/a	Download	Download	Part D. Chapter 12

^{a The FPM Protocol is the plan for how to conduct specific FPM analyses. The protocol is established by the Committee before the analysis is conducted. The protocol describes the components of the FPM process, including the analytic framework, analytic plan, analysis synthesis, conclusion development, and future research recommendations.
b The FPM Report is the written results from the associated FPM Protocol. Each report contains methods and abbreviated results are written for each age-sex and life stage group (where applicable).  
c The Data Supplements are the Excel files, which provide the source data from which the FPM Reports were written. 
d The Scientific Report is developed by the Committee and provides the review of the current state of nutrition science and includes independent, evidence-based advice for HHS and USDA to consider as the Departments develop the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines.
e The following documents are currently being updated to meet Section 508 accessibility standards. If you require immediate access to this material, please contact DietaryGuidelines@hhs.gov.}

Diet Simulation Supplements 

The table below provides 6 Excel files that provide the source data used to develop the FPM report that addresses the following question: Do simulated diets that meet the updated USDA Dietary Patterns and reflect variation in dietary intakes achieve nutrient adequacy?

Data Supplements	Download
Diet Simulations Parameters U.S.	Download
Diet Simulation Analytic Results U.S.	Download
Diet Simulation Parameters American Indian	Download
Diet Simulation Analytic Results American Indian	Download
Diet Simulation Parameters Alaskan Native	Download
Diet Simulation Analytic Results Alaskan Native	Download

Download All

Food Pattern Modeling Team

The federal food pattern modeling team supported the work of the Committee by conducting specific food pattern modeling analyses identified by the Committee and developing the online-only supplemental reports. The interagency team included nutrition scientists and data analysts from USDA and HHS with doctoral (PhD, DrPH, ScD, and MD) or master’s degrees (MS, MPH) in nutrition science, public health, economics, or related fields and expertise in food pattern modeling methodology. Some were registered dietitians (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN).