SPRINGFIELD – Every five years, the federal government issues dietary guidelines to help professionals and policy makers in related fields make recommendations to help lessen the increase of chronic diseases associated with poor food choices and lack of exercise.
The guidelines are based on consuming 2,000 calories daily with those calories drawn from the various food groups that include vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein.
While how these guidelines can be improved is under review, and how what we eat effects our bodies continues to be the subject of many studies, the fact that a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugars, combined with lack of exercise, has long been known to have a negative impact on health.
Watermelon is an easy and healthy cool-down choice in summer.
The “2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” differs from the 2010 guidelines in that it focuses on patterns of healthy eating, rather than food groups or nutrients because, as the guidelines note, “people do not eat food groups and nutrients in isolation but rather in combination, and the totality of the diet forms an overall eating pattern.”
To an individual, this means looking at what he or she eats and drinks to minimize empty calories and maximize nutritional benefit. The guidelines say this involves selecting foods whose nutritional benefit has “not been ‘diluted’ by the addition of calories from added solid fats, sugars, or refined starches, or by the solid fats naturally present in the food.”
“For example, in the vegetables food group, selecting a variety of foods could be accomplished over the course of a week by choosing from all subgroups, including dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other vegetables,” the guidelines note.
“All vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry — when prepared with little or no added solid fats, sugars, refined starches, and sodium — are nutrient-dense foods. These foods contribute to meeting food group recommendations within calorie and sodium limits.”
As the guidelines note, “All food and beverage choices matter.”
“Choose a healthy eating pattern at an appropriate calorie level to help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, support nutrient adequacy, and reduce the risk of chronic disease,” the recommendations advise.
The guidelines recommend an “eating pattern low in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.”
“Cut back on foods and beverages higher in these components to amounts that fit within healthy eating patterns.”
The guidelines, which came out in January and were preceded by debate by both food industry and health experts, as well as a Congressional bill limiting their scope, also note that an individual’s food choices are influenced by where the person lives and work and with whom they live.
“All foods consumed as part of a healthy eating pattern fit together like a puzzle to meet nutritional needs without exceeding limits, such as those for saturated fats, added sugars, sodium, and total calories. All forms of foods, including fresh, canned, dried, and frozen, can be included in healthy eating patterns,” the guidelines note.
“Individuals have more than one way to achieve a healthy eating pattern. Any eating pattern can be tailored to the individual’s socio-cultural and personal preferences.”
Why the guidelines every five years?
“About half of all American adults have one or more preventable, diet-related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity,” the guidelines note.
“However, a large body of evidence now shows that healthy eating patterns and regular physical activity can help people achieve and maintain good health and reduce the risk of chronic disease throughout all stages of the lifespan.”
The guidelines hit home with Baystate Health cardiologist Heba Wassif. She sees a tendency to “substitute risk factors for other risk factors” in the effort to be healthy. Smoking rates in the U.S. may be decreasing among adults, but the number of adults overweight has ballooned over several decades.
The guidelines, too, note that most American don’t need to eat more, but to make better choices across all food groups.
“We redistribute the risks, but they all go together,” said Wassif who emphasizes to her patients the importance of both exercise and eating foods that keep them within recommended guidelines for fat, salt and sugar.
Wassif particularly likes that the new guidelines’ recommendations on sugar intake. Sugar has been cited as a contributor to cardiovascular disease, along with fat and salt.
The 2010 guidelines noted that “added sugars contribute an average of 16 percent
of the total calories in American diets” and advised that, along with fats,”added sugars are consumed in excessive amounts, and their intake should be limited.”
“Sugar should now be no more than 10 percent of your diet no matter what your caloric intake is,” said Wassif of the more specific current recommendation.
“That is a huge change in these guidelines to reduce the sugar intake.”
The guidelines also recommend less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats; less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium for those 14 and older; and that if “alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men — and only by adults of legal drinking age.”
While there has been debate on saturated fat and its link to heart disease, the American Heart Association has recommended restricting its intake to about 5 percent of daily calories, or roughly two tablespoons of butter.
The government guidelines note that “there are not enough calories available after meeting food group needs to consume 10 percent of calories from added sugars and 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and still stay within calorie limits.”
Wassif acknowledges that cutting out salt is “very difficult, but once you take the first step (toward reducing added salt), things will be fine.”
Wassif has found many of her patients have trouble reading labels to keep within recommended guidelines. As a result, she would like to see a supermarket aisle with just low-salt or no-salt products.
The new guidelines add for the first time what is called a Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, which contains more fruits and seafood and less dairy, and the Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern, which contains no meats, poultry, or seafood.
While the guidelines are directed at professionals, the information highlights that food choice comes down to individual choice.
“About two-thirds (67 percent) of the calories consumed by the U.S. population are purchased at a store, such as a grocery store or supermarket, and consumed in the home. However, Americans have increased the proportion of food they consume away from home from 18 percent in 1977-1978 to 33 percent in 2009-2010,” the guidelines note.
“These data suggest that multiple opportunities to improve food choices exist throughout the day and in varied settings where food is obtained and consumed. Small shifts made at each of these many eating occasions over time can add up to real improvements in eating patterns.”
Other highlights of the guidelines note:
- About three-fourths of the population has an eating pattern that is low in vegetables, fruits, dairy, and oils.
- More than half of the population is meeting or exceeding total grain and total protein foods recommendations, but are failing to meet the recommendations for consumption of whole grains and are exceeding the limits for refined grains.
- Most Americans exceed the recommendations for added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.
- The high percentage of the population that is overweight or obese suggests that many in the United States overconsume calories.
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