Why stable dietary guidelines produce different meanings: an interpretive framework for early guideline impact (opens in new tab)

Dietary guidelines are usually assessed through downstream behavioral or health outcomes, often treating early interpretation as a neutral step in dissemination. Yet guidelines function as broader communication packages that include framing, food-based emphasis, visual presentation, and simplified public messaging, all of which may shape how guidance is understood before behavioral changes become measurable. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans illustrate this process: increased pub...