I sat down with a fellow Norwegian MD, dr. Simen Løseth, to talk about the recently updated Norwegian Dietary Guidelines.

In this episode, we're taking a critical look at the recently updated 2024 Norwegian Dietary Guidelines, which are, like all dietary guidelines in the Nordic countries, based on the 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations.

Every few years, Western dietary guidelines are revised with the aim to enhance public health through nutrition. Yet, as we reflect on the evolution of the guidelines since their inception in 1977/1980, a critical question arises: Have these changes genuinely improved our health outcomes?

Here’s a summary of the 2024 Norwegian Dietary Guidelines:

The updated Norwegian dietary recommendations promote a plant-based diet, emphasizing increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts to improve health and reduce environmental impact. The guidelines suggest limiting red and processed meat to 350 grams per week, highlighting the health and ecological benefits of reduced meat consumption. Emphasis is placed on healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils while advising a reduction in sugar intake. Dairy and sustainable seafood are recommended in moderation, with a push for water as the primary beverage. Social meals and mindful eating are also encouraged, respecting Norwegian culinary traditions.

We went through all the major points of the recommendations and discussed the following:

• Overview of the 2024 Norwegian Dietary Guidelines and their basis in the 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations.
• Critical analysis of the recommendation to reduce red meat intake and its implications for health and environment.
• Discussion on the heavy endorsement of grain products and vegetable oils in the guidelines.
• Examination of the environmental sustainability claims associated with the guidelines, particularly regarding livestock and crop farming.
• Insights into the health implications of a plant-based diet as recommended by the guidelines.
• Consideration of whole grains in the diet and their potential impact on health.
• Debate on the guidelines' stance on healthy fats - focusing on polyunsaturated fatty acids and their effects.
• Review of sugar intake recommendations and their relevance to modern health issues.
• Discussion on dairy and alternatives, with a focus on nutritional profiles and processing differences.
• Thoughts on the alignment of dietary guidelines with actual health outcomes and environmental sustainability.

Simen Løseth, MD:
Simen is a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry. He currently works at a psychiatric outpatient clinic at Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo. Simen has a passion for nutrition and holistic health. He believes that this is the most important area of focus to stop the development of obesity in the population, which is the leading contributing cause of chronic disease in today’s society. Therefore, he started the Instagram/TikTok profile @ernaeringspsykiater to spread knowledge. One of the most important things for our mental health is good physical health. Furthermore, one of the most important and concrete things we can do to achieve better physical health is to ensure good food quality. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ernaeringspsykiater/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ernaeringspsykiater?_t=ZN-8uRIyT6Og1m&_r=1