(Chapter 2) Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

*(2.1) LEARNING OBJECTIVES - Nutrition Recommendations:* *1.* Explain the purpose of government nutrition recommendations. *2.* Discuss how U.S. nutrition recommendations have changed over the past 100 years. *3.* Describe how nutrition recommendations are used to evaluate nutritional status and set public health policy.

*1.* Are designed to be used to plan diets and to evaluate what we are eating, both as individuals and as a nation. *2.* The first dietary recommendations in the US, published in 1894 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, suggested mounts of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and "mineral matter" needed to keep Americans healthy. (Specific vitamins and minerals essential for health had not been identified at the time. In the early 1940s, the Food and Nutrition Board developed the first set of recommendations for specific amounts of nutrients. These came to be known as the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). [some were most likely to be deficient in people;s diets like protein iron, calcium, vitamins A and D, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C. The original RDAs have been expanded into the Dietary Reference Intakes, which address problems of excess as well as deficiency. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, (1980) makes the diet and lifestyle recommendations that promote health and reduce the risks of obesity and chronic disease, have been revised every 5 years. Early food guides have evolved into MyPlate, which suggests amounts and types of food from five food groups to meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines and in addition, standardized food labels have been developed to help consumers choose foods that meet these recommendations. *3.* Nutrition recommendations are developed to address the nutritional concerns of the population and help individuals meet their nutrient needs. When food intake data are evaluated in conjunction with information about the health and nutritional status of individuals in the population, relationships between dietary intake and health and disease can be identified. This is important for developing public health measures that address nutritional problems. This leads public health experts to develop programs to improve both the diet and the fitness of Americans.

*(2.1) CONCEPT CHECK - Nutrition Recommendations:* *1.* How do nutrition recommendations benefit individual and public health? *2.* Why do the current DRIs focus on preventing chronic disease? *3.* What factors are considered in evaluating nutritional status?

*1.* Can identify relationships between dietary intake and health and disease. Also, determines if the population is meeting healthy and nutritional goals. (Health-promotion and disease-prevention is revised every 10 years, with the goal of increasing the quality and length of healthy lives for the population as a whole and eliminating health disparities among different segments of the population). *2.* Because overt nutrient deficiencies are now rare in the United States, but the incidence of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity, has increased. *3.* People's nutrient intake compared to nutrition recommendations. When evaluating the nutritional status of a population, food intake can be assessed by having individuals track their food intake or by using information about the amounts and types of food available to the population to identify trends in the diet.

*(2.3) CONCEPT CHECK - Tools for Diet Planning:* *1.* How can the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines help Americans manage body weight? *2.* What does the MyPlate graphic tell you about a healthy diet? *3.* How many ounces from the grains group are recommended each day for you? *4.* Which contains more empty calories -- a bowl of oatmeal or a bowl of Froot Loops?

*1.* Emphasize balancing the calories consumed in food and beverages with the calories expended through physical activity in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. *2.* Shows what a balanced meal should look like. Emphasizes the importance of proportionality, variety, moderation, and nutrient density in a healthy diet. *3.* About a quarter grains, about a quarter protein foods, and half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables. Grains: 6 oz Protein: 5.5 oz Oils: 6 tsp Vegetables: 2.5 cups Fruits: 2 cups Diary: 2 cups *4.* A bowl of Froot Loops contains more empty calories.

*(2.4) LEARNING OBJECTIVES - Food and Supplement Labels:* *1.* Discuss how the information on food labels can help you choose a healthy diet. *2.* Determine whether a food is high or low in fiber, saturated fat, and cholesterol. *3.* Explain how the order of ingredients on a food label is determined. *4.* Explain the types of claims that are common on dietary supplement labels.

*1.* Food labels are designed to help consumers make informed food choices y providing information about the nutrient composition of a food and how that food fits into the overall diet. And knowing how to interpret the information on these labels. *2.* Food should bee high in fiber and low in saturated and low in cholesterol. Because Saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol increase risk of hear disease. *3.* The ingredient list presents the contents of the product in order of their prominence by weight, from the most abundant to the least abundant. *4.* *Nutrient Content Claims:* statements that highlight a characteristic of a food that might be of interest to consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established specific descriptors. Like "free", "low", "lean and extra lean", "high", "good source", "reduced", "less", "light", "more", "healthy", "fresh". *Health Claims:* Statements that refer to a relationship between a nutrient, food, food component, or dietary supplement, and reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition. Food must be a naturally-good source of 1 of 6 nutrients (vitamin A, vitamin CC, protein, calcium, iron, or fiber) and must not contain more than 20% Daily Value for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium. All claims are reviewed by the FDA. *Qualified Health Claims:* Health claims are supported by scientific evidence. Health claims for which there is emerging but not well-established evidence. Must contain a qualifying/explanatory statement. *Structure/Function Claims:* Not approved but must notify FDA. Manufacturer is responsible for ensuring accuracy and truthfulness of claims. Must state, "The FDA has not evaluated the claim"; "The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease".

*(2.4 ) CONCEPT CHECK - Food and Supplement Labels:* *1.* Why are serving sizes standardized on food labels? *2.* What food label information helps you find foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol? *3.* Where should you look to see if a food contains nuts? *4.* How do structure/function claims differ from health claims?

*1.* Standard serving sizes are required to allow consumers to compare products. The serving size on the label is followed by the number of servings per container, the total Calories, and the Calories from fat in each serving. *2.* Can either look at nutrition facts or a nutrient content claims. Looking for the specific statements such as "low" or "free" of something. *3.* Look at the ingredient list. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, from most abundant to the least abundant. *4.* Structure/Function claims, which describe the role of a dietary ingredient in maintaining normal structure, functions, or general well-being. And is not approved by the FDA. Where as, Health Claims refer to a relationship between a nutrient, food, food component, or dietary supplement and reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition. And are reviewed by the FDA. One of the six must be a naturally good source in either, vitamin A, vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, or fiber.

*(2.2) LEARNING OBJECTIVES - Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs):* 1. Summarize the purpose of the DRIs. 2. Describe the four sets of DRI values used in recommending nutrient intake. 3. List the factors that are considered when estimating an individual's energy needs (EERs). 4. Define the concept of the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs).

*1.* The recommendations for the amounts of energy, nutrients, and other food components that healthy people should consume in order to stay healthy, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and prevent deficiencies. The DRIs can be used to evaluate whether a person's diet provides all the essential nutrients in adequate amounts. Addresses nutrient intake, energy intake and include values if different genders and stages of life. *2.* EAR - amounts of nutrients required by healthy people in a population. RDA - amounts of nutrients meet the needs of most healthy people. AI - approximation of the nutrient intake that sustains health based on what healthy people typically eat: goal. UL - maximum amount of nutrients that most people can consume without risk of adverse health effect. *3.* Person's age, gender, weight, height, and level of physical activity. A change in any of these variables changes the person's energy needs. *4.* Makes recommendations about the proportions of calories that should come from carbohydrate, fat, and protein in a healthy diet.

*(2.3) LEARNING OBJECTIVES - Tools for Diet Planning:* *1.* Discuss how following the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines can help prevent chronic disease. *2.* Explain how the Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate are related. *3.* Determine your Daily Food Plan. *4.* Identify foods that are high in empty calories.

*1.* The recommendations of this 7th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on balancing calorie intake with physical activity and consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages. *2.* Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the risk of chronic disease. And MyPlate can be used to plan a diet based on the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines. It is most recent USDA's food guide. It divides foods into five goof groups: Fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy...based on the nutrients they supply most abundantly, and illustrates the appropriate proportions of foods from each food group that make up a healthy diet. *3.* Based on 2000 - Calorie: Lunch - Tuna salad sandwich: 2 sliced of whole-wheat bread; 2 ounces tuna; 1 Tbsp mayonnaise; 1 Tbsp chopped celery & 1/2 cup shredded lettuce; 1/2 large peach; beverage: 1 cup fat-free milk Grains (2 oz): Make half your grains whole - Two slices of whole-wheat bread count as 2 ounces of whole grains so you need on more to make half of your 6 ounces whole grains. Protein (2 oz): Choose seafood twice a week - Tuna provides one of your seafood servings for the week and 2 of your 5 1/2 ounces of protein foods for the day. Oils (3 tsp): Avoid extra fat - One tablespoon of mayo is 3 teaspoons of oil; half your daily limit of 6 teaspoons. Vegetables (1/4 cup): Add more vegetables to your day - One cup of leafy greens equal 1/2 cup vegetables. You need lots more veggies and more varied choices to get your 2 1/2 cups for the day. Fruits (1/2 cup) Choose whole or cut-up fruit - This fresh peach provides more fiber than fruit juice but only a quarter of the 2 cups recommended for the day. Dairy (1 cup) "Skim" the fat - A cup of fat-free (skim) milk provides lots of calcium in few calories and is one third of your 3 cups of the day. *4.* Some empty calories come from foods that belong to a food group but contain added sugars and solid fats. Donuts, for example, are in the grains group , but about half of their calories are empty calories from solid fat and sugar. Some foods, such as butter, table sugar, soft drinks, and candy, don't belong in any food group, because all their calories are empty. Oils are healthy fats so, they are not considered empty calories. It is important to limit empty calories because consuming too many means you can't meet your nutrient needs without exceeding your calorie needs.

*(2.2) CONCEPT CHECK - Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs):* 1. What are RDAs and AIs use for? 2. How might you use ULs? 3. What are the five variables that affect your energy needs? 4. Why are AMDR values given as ranges rather than as single numbers?

*1.* They can be used as goals for individual intake and to plan and evaluate individual diets. *2.* For some nutrients, the UL is set for total intake from all sources, including food, fortified foods, and dietary supplements. For other nutrients, the UL refers to intake from supplements alone or from supplements and fortified foods. For many nutrients, there is no UL because too little information is available to determine it. *3.* Person's age, gender, weight, height, and level of physical activity. *4.* Because a wide range of macronutrient distributions is associated with health. AMDRs are intended to promote diets that minimize disease risk and allow flexibility in food intake patterns. % of calories from: 10-35% protein 45-65% carbohydrate 20-35% fat

Structure/Function Claim

A claim on a food label that describes the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient in maintaining normal structure or function in humans.

Nutrient Content Claim

A claim on food labels used to describe the level of a nutrient in a food. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 defines these terms and regulates the circumstances under which they can be used.

Food Guide

A food group system that suggests amounts of different types of foods needed to meet nutrient intake recommendations.

Health Claim

A food label claim that describes the relationship between a nutrient or food and a disease or health condition. Only approved health claims may appear of food labels.

Qualified Health Claim

A health claim on a food label that has been approved based on emerging but not well-established evidence of a relationship between a food, food component or dietary supplement and reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition.

MyPlate

A plate-shaped food guide released in 2011 that suggests amounts and types of food from five food groups to meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines.

Dietary Supplement

A product sold to supplement the diet; may include nutrients, enzymes, herbs, or other substances.

Daily Value

A reference value for the intake of nutrients used on food labels to help consumers see how a given food fits into their overall diet.

Healthy People

A set of national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for the U.S. population.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

A set of nutrition recommendations designed to promote population-wide dietary changes to reduce the incidence of nutrition-related chronic disease.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

A set of reference values for the intake of energy, nutrients, and food components that can be used for planning and assessing the diets of healthy people in the United States and Canada.

Exchange Lists

A system of grouping foods based on their carbohydrate, protein, fat, and energy content.

Nutritional Status

An individual's health, as it is influenced by the intake and utilization of nutrients.

Estimated Energy Requirements (EERs)

Average energy intake values predicted to maintain body weight in healthy individuals. Provides an estimate of how many calories are needed to keep body weight stable.

Empty Calories

Calories from solid fats and/or added sugars, which add calories to the food but few nutrients.

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs)

Healthy ranges of intake for carbohydrate, fat, and protein, expressed as percentages of total energy intake. Makes recommendations about the proportions of calories that should come from carbohydrate, fat, and protein in a healthy diet.

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs)

Maximum daily intake levels hat are unlikely to pose risks of adverse health effects to almost all individuals in a given gender and life-stage group. Specifies the maximum amount of a nutrient that most people can consume on a daily basis without some adverse effect.

Estimated Average Requirements (EARs)

Nutrient intakes estimated to meet the needs of 50% of the healthy individuals in a given gender and life-stage group. Average amounts of nutrients or other dietary components required by healthy individuals IN A POPULATION.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)

Nutrient intakes that are sufficient to meet the needs of almost all healthy people in a specific gender and life-stage group. Set higher than the EARs and represent amounts of nutrients and other dietary components that will meet the needs of MOST HEALTHY PEOPLE.

Adequate Intakes (AIs)

Nutrient intakes that should be used as a goal when no RDA exists. AI values are an approximation of the nutrient intake that sustains health. Set based on what healthy people typically eat. RDA or AI values can be used as goals for individual intake and to plan and evaluate individual diets.

Supplement Facts

The portion of a dietary supplement label that includes information about, serving size, ingredients, amount per serving size (by weight), and percent of Daily Value, if established.

Nutrition Facts

The portion of a food label that provides information about the nutritional composition of a food and how that food fits into the overall diet.