Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health
A healthy population is more productive Overnutrition
• Chronic consumption of more than necessary for good health
• Linked to leading causes of deaths in the US
Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health
• Planning how you will eat– Adequacy
• The foods you choose to eat provide all the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy in amounts sufficient to support growth and maintain health
– Balance• When the amount of energy you eat
equals the amount of energy you expend in daily activities and exercise
Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health
• Planning how you will eat– Calorie control
• Choosing a diet that balances the calories you eat with the amount of calories your body uses
– Nutrient density• A description of the healthfulness of food• Amount of vitamins and minerals relative
to the calories the food provides
Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health
• Planning how you will eat– Moderation
• Not too much or too little– Variety
• Include a lot of different foods in your diet
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
• A roadmap intended to guide personal choices and help individuals make informed food and activity decisions
• Science-based advice
• Cornerstone of federal nutrition policy and education
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
• Helping Americans make healthy choices
Reproduced from US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th ed. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; December 2010.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
• MyPlate– ChooseMyPlate.gov
• USDA’s icon and primary food group symbol
Courtesy of USDA
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
• MyPlate– To convey key messages
• Enjoy food but eat less• Avoid oversized portions• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables• Drink water instead of sugary drinks• Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk• Compare sodium in foods• Make at least half your grains whole
grains
Using MyPlate or Canada’s Food Guide in Diet Planning
• Types of food
• Number of recommended servings
• Approximate serving size
From Dietary Guidelines to Planning: What Will You Eat?
• Using MyPlate food guide in diet planning
Recommendations for Nutrient Intake: The DRIs
– Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)• Recommendations for nutrient intake• Tell us how much of each nutrient we
should have in our diets• History of dietary standards
– 1938 RDAs– Mid-1990s Food and Nutrition Board
started publishing DRIs for nutrients
NO BOOK – how would your group devise a method to come up with the required intake for;1. Vitamins and minerals2. Protein3. Calories * Would the decision making process be the same or different for each category?
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)– Amount that meets the
nutrient req of 50% of people in a life-stage and gender group
– Based on specific indicator of dietary adequacy
Dietary Reference Intakes
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)– Amount that meets
the needs of most people (97–98%) in a life-stage and gender group
Dietary Reference Intakes
• Adequate Intake (AI)– Amount thought to be
adequate for most people– AI is used when EAR and
RDA can’t be determined
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)– Intake above the UL can be
harmful
Dietary Reference Intakes
• Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)– Energy intake estimated to maintain
energy balance in healthy, normal-weight individuals
Food Labels
• Mandatory information on food labels– Statement of identity– Net contents of the package– Name and address of manufacturer, packer,
and distributor– List of ingredients
• Listed by common or usual name• Listed in descending order by weight
– Nutrition information• Nutrition Facts panel
Food Labels
• Nutrition Facts panel – Standard format
Food Labels
• Daily Values– Compare amount in one serving to amount
recommended for daily consumption– Based on recommended amounts of 2,000-
calorie diet
• Nutrient content claims– Descriptive terms (e.g., low fat, high fiber)– Defined by FDA
Food Labels
Claims That Can Be Made for Foods and Dietary Supplements
• Health claims– Link one or more dietary components to
reduced risk of disease– Must be supported by scientific evidence– Approved by FDA
• Structure/function claims– Describe potential effects on body
structure or function