BASIC NUTRITION, DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS

2.3THE DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANSThe Dietary Guidelines (DG) for Americans is reviewed, updated if necessary,and published every 5 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) andthe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly create eachedition. Dietary Guidelines 2010 is available in its entirety atwww.dietaryguidelines.gov.The DG for Americans, 2010 was released at a time of rising concern about thehealth of the American population. Poor diet and physical inactivity are the mostimportant factors contributing to an epidemic of overweight and obesity affectingmen, women, and children in all segments of our society. Even in the absence ofoverweight, poor diet and physical inactivity are associated with major causes ofmorbidity and mortality in the United States. Therefore, the DG, 2010 is intendedfor Americans ages 2 years and older, including those at increased risk ofchronic disease.The DG for Americans, 2010 includes recommendations based on the mostrecent evidence-based review of nutrition science. Two overarching conceptsemerge from these recommendations: maintain calorie balance to achieve andsustain a healthy weight; and focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages. TheDG’s are used in developing nutrition education and communication messagesand materials and to reduce the risk of chronic disease.The Dietary Guidelines for Americans three major goals are:Balance calories with physical activity to manage weightConsume more of certain foods and nutrients such as fruits, vegetables,whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafoodConsume fewer foods with sodium (salt), saturated fats, trans fats,cholesterol, added sugars, and refined grainsA healthy eating pattern is not a rigid prescription, but rather an array of optionsthat can accommodate cultural, ethnic, traditional, and personal preferences andfood cost and availability. What is a "healthy eating pattern"? The DietaryGuidelines describe a healthy eating pattern as one that: Focuses on nutrient-dense foods – vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fatfree or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats and poultry, seafood,eggs, beans and peas, and nuts and seeds that are prepared withoutadded solid fats, sugars, starches, and sodium.2.3.1 Key Recommendations for the General PopulationBALANCING CALORIES TO MANAGE WEIGHT Prevent and/or reduce overweight and obesity through improved eatingand physical activity behaviors. Control total calorie intake to manage body weight. For people who areoverweight or obese, this will mean consuming fewer calories from foodsand beverages.Last updated 5/2013

Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life - childhood,adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and older age.FOODS AND FOOD COMPONENTS TO REDUCE Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and furtherreduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older andthose of any age who are African American or have hypertension,diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. The 1,500 mg recommendationapplies to about half of the U.S. population, including children, and themajority of adults. Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids byreplacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol. Keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible, especially bylimiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans fats, such as partiallyhydrogenated oils, and by limiting other solid fats. Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars. Limit the consumption of foods that contain refined grains, especiallyrefined grain foods that contain solid fats, added sugars, and sodium. If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation – up to onedrink per day for women and two drinks per day for men – and only byadults of legal drinking age. There is no safe level of alcohol consumptionduring pregnancy. Breastfeeding women should be very cautious aboutdrinking alcohol, if they choose to drink at all.FOODS AND NUTRIENTS TO INCREASE Individuals should meet the following recommendations as part of ahealthy eating pattern and while staying within their calorie needs: Increase vegetable and fruit intake. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red, and orangevegetables and beans and peas. Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Increase whole-grainintake by replacing refined grains with whole grains. Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk,yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy beverages. Choose a variety of protein foods, which include seafood, lean meat andpoultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts andseeds.Last updated 5/2013

Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosingseafood in place of some meat and poultry. Replace protein foods that are higher in solid fats with choices that arelower in solid fats and calories and/or are sources of oils. Use oils to replace solid fats where possible. Choose foods that provide more potassium, dietary fiber, calcium andvitamin D, which are nutrients of concern in American diets. These foodsinclude vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products.BUILDING HEALTHY EATING PATTERNS Select an eating pattern that meets nutrient needs over time at anappropriate calorie level. Account for all foods and beverages consumed and assess how they fitwithin a total healthy eating pattern. Follow food safety recommendations when preparing and eating foods toreduce the risk of food borne illnesses.2.3.2 Key Consumer Behaviors and Potential Strategies for ProfessionalsTopic AreaKey ConsumerBehaviorsPotential StrategiesCALORIEINTAKEConsume foods anddrinks to meet, notexceed, calorieneeds.Know your calorie needs.Plan ahead to makebetter food choices.Prepare and pack healthy meals at homefor children and/or adults to eat at schoolor work.Weigh yourself and adjust what and howmuch you eat and/or your physical activitybased on your weight change over time.Have healthy snacks available at homeand bring nutrient-dense snacks to eatwhen on-the-go.Think ahead before attending parties: Eata small, healthy snack before heading out.Plan to take small portions and focus onhealthy options. Consider whether youare hungry before going back for more.Choose a place to talk with friends that issome distance from the food table.Last updated 5/2013

Track food andcalorie intake.Track what you eat using a food journal oran online food planner(e.g., www.ChooseMyPlate.gov).Check the calories and servings perpackage on the Nutrition Facts label. Forfoods and drinks that do not have a labelor posted calorie counts, try an onlinecalorie counter.Pay attention to feelings of hunger. Eatonly until you are satisfied, not full. If youtend to overeat, be aware of time of day,place, and your mood while eating so youcan better control the amount you eat.Limit eating while watching television,which can result in overeating.If you choose to eat while watchingtelevision, portion out a small serving.Limit calorie intakefrom solid fats andadded sugars.Choose foods prepared with little or noadded sugars or solid fats.Identify the amount of calories from addedsugars and solid fats contained in foodsand drinks athttp://www.myfoodapedia.gov.Choose products with less added sugarsand solid fats. Select products thatcontain added sugars and solid fats lessoften.When you have foods and drinks withadded sugars and solid fats, choose asmall portion.Reduce portions,especially of highcalorie foods.Use smaller plates.Portion out small amount of food.To feel satisfied with fewer calories,replace large portions of high-calorie foodswith lower calorie foods, like vegetablesand fruits.Cook and eat moremeals at home,instead of eatingCook and eat at home more often,preferable as a family.When preparing meals, includeLast updated 5/2013

out.vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free orlow-fat dairy products, and protein foodsthat provide fewer calories and morenutrients.Experiment with healthy recipes andingredient substitutions.Think aboutchoosing healthyoptions when eatingout.When eating out, choose a smaller sizeoption (e.g., appetizer, small plate).Manage larger portions by sharing ortaking home part of your meal.Check posted calorie counts or checkcalorie counts online before you eat at arestaurant.When eating out, choose dishes thatinclude vegetables, fruits, and/or wholegrains.When eating out, avoid choosing foodswith the following words: creamy, fried,breaded, battered, or buttered. Inaddition, keep portions of syrups,dressings, and sauces small.PHYSICALACTIVITYLimit screen time.Limit the amount of time you spendwatching television or using other mediasuch as video games. This is especiallyimportant for children and adolescents.Use the time you watch television to bephysically active in front of the television.Increase physicalactivity.Pick activities you like and that fit into yourlife. For children, activity should be funand developmentally appropriate.Be active with family and friends. Havinga support network can help you stayactive.Keep track of your physical activity andgradually increase it to meet therecommendations of the 2008 PhysicalActivity Guidelines for Americans.Physical activity can be tracked athttp://www.presidentschallenge.org or byusing logs like the one found athttp://www.health.gov/paguidelines.Last updated 5/2013

Choose moderate –or vigorous –intensity physicalactivities.Choose moderate – intensity activities,which include walking briskly, biking,dancing, general gardening, wateraerobics, and canoeing.You can replace some or your entiremoderate – intensity activity with vigorousactivity. With vigorous activities, you getsimilar health benefits in half the time ittakes you with moderate ones. Vigorousactivities include aerobic dance, jumpingrope, race walking, jogging, running,soccer, swimming fast or swimming laps,and riding a bike on hills or riding fast.Adults should include muscle –strengthening activities at least 2 days aweek. Muscle – strengthening activitiesinclude lifting weights, push-ups, and situps. Choose activities that work all thedifferent parts of the body – the legs, hips,back, chest, stomach, shoulders, andarms.Encourage children to do muscle –strengthening activities such as climbing atleast 3 days a week and bone –strengthening activities, such as jumping,at least 3 days a week.Avoid inactivity.Some physicalactivity is better thannone.Start with 10-minute chunks of physicalactivity a couple of days a week. Every bitcounts, and doing something is better thandoing nothing.Walking is one way to add physical activityto your life. Build up to walking longer andmore often. Pick up the pace as you go.VEGETABLESSlowly build up theamount of physicalactivity you choose.Start by being active for longer each time;then do more by being active more often.Increase vegetableintake.Include vegetables in meals and insnacks. Fresh, frozen, and cannedvegetables all count. When eating cannedvegetables, choose those labeled asreduced sodium or no salt-added.Add dark-green, red, and orangeLast updated 5/2013

Eat recommendedamounts ofvegetables, andinclude a variety ofvegetables,especially darkgreen vegetables,red and orangevegetables, andbeans and peas.vegetables to soups, stews, casseroles,stir-fries, and other main and side dishes.Use dark leafy greens, such as romainelettuce and spinach, to make salads.Focus on dietary fiber-beans and peas area great source. Add beans or peas tosalads (e.g., kidney or garbanzo beans),soups (e.g., split peas or lentils), and sidedishes (e.g., baked beans or pinto beans),or serve as a main dish.Keep raw, cut-up vegetables handy forquick snacks. If serving with a dip, chooselower calorie options, such as yogurtbased dressings or hummus, instead ofsour cream or cream cheese-based dips.When eating out, choose a vegetable as aside dish. With cooked vegetables,request that they be prepared with little orno fat and salt. With salads, ask for thedressing on the side so you can decidehow much you use.When adding sauces, condiments, ordressings to vegetables, use smallamounts and look for lower calorie options(e.g., reduced-fat cheese sauce or fat-freedressing). Sauces can make vegetablesmore appealing, but often add extracalories.FRUITSIncrease fruit intake.Use fruit as snacks, salads, or desserts.Eat recommendedamounts of fruitsand choose a varietyof fruits. Choosewhole or cut-upfruits more oftenthan fruit juice.Instead of sugars, syrups, or other sweettoppings, use fruit to top foods such ascereal and pancakes.Enjoy a wide variety of fruits, andmaximize taste and freshness by adaptingyour choices to what is in season.Keep rinsed and cut-up fruit handy forquick snacks.Use canned, frozen, and dried fruits, aswell as fresh fruits. Unsweetened fruit orfruit canned in 100% juice is the betterchoice because light or heavy syrup addssugar and calories.Last updated 5/2013

Select 100% fruit juice when choosingjuices.MILK ANDMILKPRODUCTS(DAIRYPRODUCTS)Increase intake offat-free or low-fatmilk and milkproducts, such asmilk, yogurt, cheese,and fortified soybeverages.Replace higher fatmilk and milkproducts with lowerfat options.Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.If you currently drink whole milk, graduallyswitch to lower fat versions. This changewill cut calories, but will not reducecalcium or other essential nutrients.When drinking beverages, such ascappuccino or latte, request fat-free orlow-fat milk.Use fat-free or low-fat milk on cereal andoatmeal. Top fruit salads with fat-free orlow-fat yogurt.When recipes such as dips call for sourcream, substitute plain fat-free or low-fatyogurt.When selecting cheese, choose low-fat orreduced-fat versions.If you are lactose intolerant, try lactosefree milk, drink smaller amounts of milk ata time, or try fortified soy beveragesa.Choose fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurtmore often than cheese. Milk and yogurtare better sources of potassium and arelower in sodium than most cheeses. Also,most milk is fortified with vitamin D.a. Fortified soy beverages have been marketed as “soymilk,” a product name consumers could see insupermarkets and consumer materials. However, FDA’s regulations do not contain provisions for the use ofthe term soymilk. Therefore, in this document, the term “fortified soy beverage” includes products that may bemarketed as soymilk.PROTEINFOODSChoose a variety offoods from theprotein foods group.Eat a variety of foods from the proteinfoods group each week. This groupincludes seafood, beans and peas, andnuts, as well as lean meats, poultry, andeggs.Increase the amountand variety ofseafood consumedby choosing seafoodin place of somemeat and poultry.Eat seafood in place of meat or poultrytwice a week. Select some seafood that ishigher in oils and lower in mercury, suchas salmon, trout, and herring.Select lean meats and poultry. Choosemeat cuts that are low in fat and groundbeef that is extra lean (at least 90% lean).Trim or drain fat from meat and removeLast updated 5/2013

poultry skin before cooking or eating.Try grilling, broiling, poaching, or roasting.These cooking methods do not add extrafat.Drain fat from ground meats after cooking.Avoid breading on meat and poultry, whichadds calories.GRAINSWHOLEGRAINSIncrease wholegrain intakeConsume at leasthalf of all grains aswhole grains.Substitute whole-grain choices for refinedgrains in breakfast cereals, breads,crackers, rice, and pasta. For example,choose 100% whole-grain breads; wholegrain cereals such as oatmeal; wholegrain crackers and pasta; and brown rice.Check the ingredients list on productlabels for the words “whole” or “wholegrain” before the grain ingredient’s name.Note that foods labeled with the words”multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100%wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or”bran” are usually not 100% whole-grainproducts, and may not contain any wholegrains.Use the Nutrition Facts label and theingredients list to choose whole grains thatare a good or excellent source of dietaryfiber. Good sources of fiber contain 10 to19 percent of the Daily Value per serving,and excellent sources of dietary fibercontain 20 percent or more.RefinedGrainsWhenever possible,replace refinedgrains with wholegrains.Eat fewer refined grain products,especially those that are high in caloriesfrom solid fats and/or added sugars, suchas cakes, cookies, other desserts, andpizza.Replace white bread, rolls, bagels,muffins, pasta, and rice with whole-grainversions.When choosing a refined grain, check theingredients list to make sure it is madewith enriched flour.Last updated 5/2013

OILS ANDFATSOILSUse oils instead ofsolid fats, whenpossible.When using spreads, choose softmargarines with zero trans fats made fromliquid vegetable oil, rather than stickmargarine or butter. If you do use butter,use only a small amount.When cooking, use vegetable oils such asolive, canola, corn, safflower, or sunfloweroil rather than solid fats (butter, stickmargarine, shortening, lard).Consider calories when adding oils tofoods or in cooking. Use only smallamounts to keep calories in check.Use the ingredients list to choose foodsthat contain oils with more unsaturatedfats. Use the Nutrition Facts label tochoose foods that contain less saturatedfat.SOLID FATSCut back on solidfats.Eat fewer foods that contain solid fats.The major sources for Americans arecakes, cookies, and other desserts (oftenChoose foods withmade with butter, margarine, orlittle solid fats andshortening); pizza; cheese; processed andprepare foods tofatty meats (e.g., sausages, hot dogs,minimize the amount bacon, ribs); and ice cream.of solid fats.Select lean meats and poultry, and fat-freeLimit saturated fator low-fat milk and milk products.intake and keeptrans fat intake asWhen cooking, replace solid fats such aslow as possible.butter, beef fat, chicken fat, lard, stickmargarine, and shortening with oils; orchoose cooking methods that do not addfat.Choose baked, steamed, or broiled ratherthan fried foods most often.Check the Nutrition Facts label to choosefoods with little or no saturated fat and notrans fat.Limit foods containing partiallyhydrogenated oils, a major source of transfats.Last updated 5/2013

ADDEDSUGARSCut back on foodsand drinks withadded sugars orcaloric sweeteners(sugar-sweetenedbeverages).Drink few or no regular sodas, sportsdrinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks.Eat less cake, cookies, ice cream, otherdesserts, and candy. If you do have thesefoods and drinks, have a small portion.These drinks and foods are the majorsources of added sugars for Americans.Choose water, fat-free milk, 100% fruitjuice, or unsweetened tea or coffee asdrinks rather than sugar-sweetened drinks.Select fruit for desserts. Eat less of highcalorie desserts.Use the Nutrition Facts label to choosebreakfast cereals and other packagedfoods with less total sugars, and use theingredients list to choose foods with littleor no added sugars.SODIUMReduce sodiumintake.Use the Nutrition Facts label to choosefoods lower in sodium.Choose foods low insodium and preparefoods with little salt.When purchasing canned foods, selectthose labeled as “reduced sodium,” “lowsodium,” or “no salt added,” Rinse regularcanned foods to remove some sodium.Many packaged foods contain moresodium than their made-from-freshcounterparts.Increase potassiumintake.Use little or no salt when cooking oreating. Trade in your salt shaker for thepepper shaker. Spices, herbs, and lemonjuice can be used as alternatives to salt toseason foods with a variety of flavors.Gradually reduce the amount of sodium inyour foods. Your taste for salt will changeover time.Get more potassium in your diet. Foodsources of potassium include potatoes,cantaloupe, bananas, beans, and yogurt.ALCOHOLFor adults of legaldrinking age whochoose to drinkalcohol, consume itLimit alcohol to no more than 1 drink perday for women and 2 drinks per day formen.Last updated 5/2013

in moderation.Avoid excessive (heavy or binge) drinking.Avoid alcohol incertain situationsthat can put you atrisk.Consider the calorie content of mixers aswell as the alcohol.If breastfeeding, wait at least 4 hours afterdrinking alcohol before breastfeeding.Alcohol should not be consumed at alluntil consistent latch on and breastfeedingpatterns are established.Avoid alcohol if you are pregn

An important tool is the Nutrition Facts label on food products. www.ChooseMyPlate.gov provides web-based interactive information and print materials for consumers. 2.0.2 Purpose The purpose of Section 2 is to review b