A dietitian and doctor review RFK Jr's new food pyramid episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 18, 2026 · 12 MIN

A dietitian and doctor review RFK Jr's new food pyramid

from Short Wave

The new food pyramid was released earlier this year. It emphasizes protein, full-fat dairy and what Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calls “healthy fats.” These guidelines influence the standards for  school lunches, food labeling and programs like SNAP. Today on the show, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong chats with registered dietitian nutritionist Shana Spence, and Dr. Sarah Kim, a diabetes specialist, about the new guidelines. Plus, NPR’s Reflect America fellow Kadin Mills unpacks how the new food pyramid could change school lunch trays. Check out more of Kadin’s coverage about the changes in dietary guidelines.Interested in more health science? Email us your question at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 18, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

A dietitian and doctor review RFK Jr's new food pyramid

0:00 12:32

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Short Wave?

This episode is 12 minutes long.

When was this Short Wave episode published?

This episode was published on March 18, 2026.

Can I download this Short Wave episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!