Nutrition Guidelines: Tools for a Healthful Diet

BIOL 103, Chapter 2

Today’s Topics

1. Concepts in choosing a healthful diets 2. Dietary Guidelines and Diet Plans3. Recommendations for nutrient intake?4. Reading and Interpreting Food Labels

Linking Nutrients, Food, 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• Your diet is balanced if:

– Calories you eat = Calories (Energy) that you use

– It is a healthful diet (has adequate amount of essential nutrients)

Linking Nutrients, Food, and Health

• Planning how you will eat…– Calorie Control

– Nutrient Density: Nutrient dense foods provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals relative to the amount of calories

Linking Nutrients, Food, and Health

• Planning how you will eat…–Moderation

– Variety

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

• What is it and what does it contain?– A guideline that individuals can refer to in order to

make informed decisions about food and activity• Content is backed by _______________________• Their Goal: to improve overall health by balancing

calories that Americans eat with physical activity to manage weight.

– Used to develop educational materials, or aid policy makers in designing and carrying out nutrition-related programs

Two basic concepts of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

Problem Set#2, Q1a

1. Balance calories to manage weight

1. Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

• In addition, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 provides:– Recommendations for Specific Population Group

• Woman capable of getting pregnant• Woman who are pregnant or breastfeeding• Individuals age 50 and older

– Key consumer behaviors and potential strategies for professionals to use

– Food safety principles and guidance for consumers– How to use the food label to track calories, nutrients,

and ingredients

Social-ecological model framework for nutrition and physical activity decisions

My Plate:Problem Set#2, Q1b

• In 2011, USDA formed MyPlate to accompany the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.

• MyPlate is designed to convey 7 key messages:

1. Enjoy food, but eat less2. Avoid oversize portions3. Make half your plate fruits and

vegetables4. Drink water instead of sugary

drinks5. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%)

milk6. Compare sodium in foods7. Make at least half your grains

whole grains

Using MyPlate food guide in dietary planning

1. Determine the amount of calories you should eat each day

1. Become familiar with the types of food in each group, number of recommended servings, and serving sizes

2. Plan your meals and snacks using the suggested serving sizes

Exchange List

• Foods are grouped by food type and the amount of macronutrients in each portion:– Starches– Fruits– Milk– Other carbs– Vegetables– Meats and meat substitutes– Fats

• It is usually used by people with diabetes and/or by weight-control programs.

Recommendations for the Nutrient Intake: the DRIs

• DRI = Dietary Reference Intakes– DRIs are a set of scientifically-based nutrient

reference values for healthy populations– DRIs is a umbrella term that describes four types

of reference values:• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)• Adequate Intake (AI)• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)– Amount that meets

the nutrient requirements of 50% of people in a life-stage and gender group

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)– Amount that meets

the needs of most people (97-98%) in a life-stage and gender group

– RDA is calculated from the EAR

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• Adequate Intake (AI)– AI is used when EAR

and RDA cannot be determined

– Amount thought to be adequate for most people

– AI is not equivalent to EAR

– Examples of AI nutrients: Fl, Cl, Mn, K, Na, total fiber, Water.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): maximum level of daily nutrient intake that poses little risk of adverse health effects to almost all of the individuals in a defined group.– Intake above the UL can be

______________________– Some ULs for certain

nutrients are still unknown. (e.g. Arsenic)

Dietary Reference Intakes for energy in food

• Estimated Energy Requirement (EER):– Similar to EAR

• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR)”: – “% of total energy intake.”

Introducing Food Labels

• During 1970-1980s, research about the the role of diet in chronic diseases increased

• In 1990, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) for food package to have ingredient list, allergy warnings and nutrient info.

• 1994: Nutrition labels start to appear on foods

• FDA vs. USDA– FDA: oversees most of

the U.S. food supplies– USDA: oversees supply

of meat, poultry, egg products

Food Labels

• What are mandatory information on food labels?

1. Name of the food2. Net weight of the food

itself3. Name and address of

manufacturer, packer, distributor

4. List of ingredients5. Nutrition information

Standard format of Nutrition Facts panel

Food Labels – Daily Values

3 Claims that can be made for food and dietary supplements

(PS#2, Q3)

Check out “FYI Definitions for Nutrient Content Claims on Food Labels” (pg. 60-61)

1. Nutrient content claims Regulated by the NLEA

and FDA Use meaningful terms:

____________________ Reduce misleading

claims: “fat free,” “cholesterol free,” etc.

Claims that can be made for food and dietary

supplements2. Health claim: a statement that the food or a substance in the food is linked to reduced risk of disease

Claims that can be made for food and dietary supplements

3. Structure/function claim: statement that claim a potential benefit on body structures or functions.

New Look for Food Labels (2014)

Controversy with Froot Loops

• Oct 2008: Smart Choices is a program sponsored by the food industry (General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft, Pepsi, etc.) to promote a standardized symbol in front of the package for consumer information.

• Liberal criteria