Americans don’t eat well. They certainly eat a lot, but they don’t eat the right foods. That’s the gist of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines report issued this fall by the Department of Health and Human and Services in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture.

Clocking in at more than 500 pages and compiled by an advisory committee of 14 outside experts in medicine, nutrition and public health, the Dietary Guidelines report has been issued every five years since its 1980 inception. The report makes recommendations for food consumption and physical activity for all Americans older than two years old.

The food industry, media, medical professionals, school administrators, and everyone along the distribution chain for our nation’s food and beverages eagerly await the report. That’s because the recommendations largely determine federal nutrition policy, outreach, education and food assistance by public and private concerns, agencies and educators. It potentially can alter everything from school lunches to advertising, and doctors, nurses and nutritionists across the country closely monitor the advice. In short, this is the official position on what’s working for our nation’s diet and what is not.

The guidelines are created using what’s believed to be the most comprehensive and timely scientific information available. The process of preparing the final report is arduous – preparations for the 2015 report started two years earlier with nominations and selection to the committee. Then the committee sifts through reams of data and information and issues a scientific report and recommendations for the new guidelines. There’s also a public comment period during which input from the general population and other professionals is solicited for the preliminary findings.