Cyprus is watching closely as the United States changes its official advice on what people should eat.
New dietary guidelines unveiled by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr encourage Americans to eat more protein, include full-fat dairy and place fewer limits on alcohol. They also promote avoiding highly processed foods and added sugar.
The changes have sparked debate among nutrition experts in the US. They have also raised questions in Cyprus, where the Mediterranean diet has long been promoted as a model for healthy living.
The US guidelines are issued every five years by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. They shape national food policy, including school meals and public health programmes.
“Eat real food,” Kennedy said as the guidelines were announced at the White House.
The recommendations include more protein, full-fat dairy, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. They advise cutting back on sugar and highly processed foods such as packaged snacks and sweets.
One of the most notable changes is the move away from low-fat dairy. Previous guidelines encouraged reduced-fat products to limit saturated fat intake. The new advice suggests three servings of full-fat dairy a day.
The guidelines also recommend cooking with oils such as olive oil, but say beef tallow can be used as an alternative. Beef tallow is high in saturated fat and has been publicly supported by Kennedy.
Long-standing daily limits on alcohol have also been removed. Instead of set amounts, the guidelines now advise drinking “less alcohol for better overall health”. They say some groups, including pregnant women and people on certain medication, should avoid alcohol altogether.
Some US medical bodies have welcomed parts of the new advice. The American Medical Association praised the focus on reducing processed foods, sugar and excess salt, which are linked to heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Other experts have raised concerns. Critics say Americans already eat enough protein and warn that promoting red meat and full-fat dairy could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
These debates are now being followed in Cyprus, where food culture is closely tied to the Mediterranean diet.
Clinical dietitian Marios Tryfonos told Politis newspaper that the Mediterranean diet has a long and consistent foundation, even though it has changed over time.
“The Mediterranean diet was always one,” he said.
“It has undergone many variations over the years.”
He said the way people follow the diet depends on their personal circumstances.
“The issue is how each person can integrate it into their programme, because it is not equally easy for everyone,” he said.
Tryfonos explained that different groups have different needs, including people with medical conditions and those without.
“However, everyone can follow its basic patterns,” he added.
Asked whether international diet trends had unsettled his clients, he said there had been no reaction.
“There has been no response at all,” he said.
He also questioned how easy it would be for people in Cyprus to move away from traditional eating habits.
“For someone to move away from the Mediterranean diet, it first has to be presented to them,” he said.
“It is not easy. Many factors play a role.”
He said modern dietary changes in Cyprus remain limited.
“There are various dietary patterns today. The changes are small,” he said.
Tryfonos pointed to the origins of the Mediterranean diet as it is known today. He said it was based on research by American scientist Ancel Keys in the 1960s.
“The food pyramid was based on people’s habits at that time,” he said.
Daily life then, he added, was very different.
“People worked in the fields,” he said.
“Consumption of red meat was limited, about once a month.”
Since then, lifestyles have changed and new recommendations have emerged. But the core principles of the diet remain widely recognised.
Alongside health concerns, food promotion also plays a role in public debate.
Pissouri has attracted national attention for a new statue celebrating halloumi cheese. A large sculpture was unveiled at the entrance to the village’s House of Halloumi museum, designed to reflect local halloumi traditions and guide visitors towards the site.
The initiative has sparked discussion about heritage and branding, as halloumi is a product made across many parts of Cyprus and not unique to one village alone.
Panayiotis Mavroudis, the community leader of Pissouri, told Politis newspaper that he takes a positive view of promoting food products.
“I do not restrict anyone’s views or intentions,” he said.
He said quality was the most important factor.
“I know that when you find a quality product, the person behind it is doing their job properly,” he added.
Mavroudis said his community supports advertising and promotion.
“We have a positive approach to advertising and of course we will advertise it,” he said.
However, he said he was not aware of any economic analysis linked to the wider dietary debate.
“For what is going to happen and what economists will say, I have not been informed,” he said.
“I have no knowledge of what you are referring to.”
As global dietary advice shifts, Cyprus remains grounded in a food culture shaped by local produce, long-standing habits and daily life.
The discussion highlights a wider question facing many countries: how international health messages interact with local traditions that are already deeply rooted.