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