New U.S. diet rule gets mixed response on social media

[January 09, 2016]  By Gina Cherelus

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new health guideline suggesting people should cut consumption of sugar while increasing intake of meat, coffee and cholesterol-heavy foods drew heated response on social media on Friday.

Hashtag #DietaryGuidelines was among the top trending topics on Twitter after U.S. government released a report late on Thursday suggesting people should keep their sugar and corn syrup intake to less than 10 percent of daily calorie consumption.

Currently the average American consumes about 270 calories a day in sweeteners, or 13 percent, the guidelines said.

The new rules allow up to five cups of coffee a day, drop a previous limit on the consumption of cholesterol-laden food (while still curbing saturated fats to less than 10 percent of calories per day) and allow a variety of meats.

Twitter user @NVGhost005 wrote cynically: "With all these new dietary guidelines coming out, EVERYTHING one eats/drinks puts one at risk. Might as well not care."

"After reading the full report, these guidelines are quite disappointing, IMHO #DietaryGuidelines", tweeted health coach Pam McGovern (@weavegirl40) on Friday.

Comedian Brian Parise (@bpcomedy) also tweeted an image sarcastically poking fun at the report: "People are being critical of the new dietary guidelines the government put out today, but I think they nailed it. pic.twitter.com/pea8yHsyoe”

(Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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