After analysing the nutrition and health situation of residents, The Bahamas government recognised the need to develop dietary guidelines for the population. In 2002, the Ministry of Health proudly launched the national Dietary Guidelines for The Bahamas. These guidelines provide a method of selecting foods that will enhance good health throughout life, as well as prevent or minimise nutrition related diseases. The guidelines state 10 dietary recommendations, along with pictorial representations in the form of a goatskin drum.

A food guide answers the question of which of the available foods can be consumed so that the proportions fit the actual needs of the body. It also provides a conceptual framework for populations to select the kinds and amounts of foods, which together provide a nutritionally satisfactory diet. The food guide translates recommendations on nutrient intake into recommendations for food intake.