Discussion 4

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines For Americans: Recommendations For Meeting Dietary Goals

In the early 1980’s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its first edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help Americans understand and utilize the growing scientific evidence available on nutrition and health (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).  Despite the more than thirty years of healthy dietary recommendations provided, never before has the need to educate the American public on nutrition and health been more pertinent.  The escalation of instances of overweight and obesity in America, combined with the prevalence of chronic health conditions influenced by a poor diet and physical inactivity are resulting in poorer overall health, lower quality of life, and premature deaths among millions of Americans.  It truly is an epidemic in our modern society. 

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines reflects the most recent scientific findings on nutrition and maintains two overarching objectives.  The first goal is to help Americans learn how to obtain calorie balance, and manage it over the long term to “sustain a healthy weight” (USDA & USDHHS, 2010, p. 4).  The second goal is to aid Americans in adopting a healthy diet with a “focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages” (USDA & USDHHS, 2003, p. 4).  If you’re wondering what active measures you can take to meet these two primary objectives, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines has some basic recommendations.

Recommendations for Balancing Calories & Maintaining Weight:

Eating right is not always easy, but a primary key to maintaining a healthy weight is to control calorie intake, especially to reduce and maintain a healthy body weight.  This can be achieved through the implementation of two basic practices: the adoption of a nutritious diet, and regular physical exercise (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 also recommends that:

• individuals actively control calorie consumption
• overweight and obese individuals take active measures to consume fewer calories than they need on a daily basis to encourage weight loss 
• all individuals should resolve to be more active and less sedentary on a regular basis          
• and that Americans make a commitment to calorie control throughout a lifetime (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).

Recommendations for Foods to Reduce:

Adopting a healthier diet and meeting nutrient needs requires many Americans to significantly reduce their consumption of certain foods and their components.  This includes reducing “sodium, saturated and trans fatty acids, cholesterol, solid fats, added sugars, refined grain products, and alcoholic beverages” (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 35).  Daily recommended intake should be less than 2,300 mg of sodium, 10% of calories from saturated fats, and 300 mg of cholesterol on a daily basis (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).  Trans fats and hydrogenated oils should be avoided as much as possible, and individuals should reduce their alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).

Recommendations for Foods to Increase:

The most important aspect of a healthy diet is the consumption of highly nutritious foods (Brown, 2011).  The Dietary Guidelines recommends that Americans seek to increase their daily consumption of many whole foods with amazing health benefits such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, milk, and some protein foods (2010).  A variety of foods belonging to these specific food groups should form the foundation of a nutritious diet on a daily basis, throughout a lifetime. 

Some helpful tips to follow:

• Choose greater amounts of carbohydrate rich foods (mostly fruits and vegetables) (Brown, 2011).
• Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).
• Aim to consume 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables on a daily basis (USDA, 2013).
• Replace refined grains with whole grains (Brown, 2011).
• Eat a good variety of low-fat protein foods (USDA & USDHHS, 2010).
• Seek out foods that are naturally “high in potassium, fiber, calcium, and vitamin D” (USDA & USDHHS, 2010, p. 11). 

      If the dietary recommendations covered here still have you a little unclear about the proper steps to take, visit the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion website at www.cnpp.usda.gov for more information.  

      Please also visit the USDA’s My Pyramid website: http://www.foodpyramid.com/mypyramid/ to learn about the best components of a healthy diet and how to compose your own.  For a complete downloadable copy of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 visit: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PolicyDoc.pdf

References

Brown, J. E. (2011). Nutrition now (6^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
     (12^th ed). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Sizer, F. S., & Whitney, E. N. (2012). Nutrition: Concepts and controversies (12^th ed).
      Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2013). My pyramid. Retrieved May 31, 2013, 
      from http://www.foodpyramid.com/mypyramid/

United States Department of Agriculture & United States Department of Health and

      Human Services. (2010). Dietary guidelines for Americans: 2010. Retrieved May
      30, 2013, from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines
      /2010/PolicyDoc/PolicyDoc.pdf