What is the role of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)?

The role of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) encompasses a variety of responsibilities aimed at ensuring the well-being of the nation's food and agricultural systems. When it comes to promoting public health through nutrition, one of the USDA's primary functions is to create guidelines for healthy eating. This is reflected in initiatives such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the MyPlate nutritional guide, which are designed to educate the public on balanced diets and nutrition.

These guidelines help individuals make informed choices about their food consumption, encouraging a healthy lifestyle that can prevent diet-related diseases. By setting these standards, the USDA plays a crucial role in guiding both individuals and food service operations on nutritional practices, thus fostering better health outcomes across the country.

While the USDA is involved in various other activities such as regulating food safety, supporting farmers, and providing assistance to low-income families, the creation and promotion of healthy eating guidelines are fundamental to its mission of improving the nutritional health of Americans.