The
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000 have recently
been released by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion. You might even say they are the ABC's of Dietary
Guidelines! The major themes are:
AIM FOR FITNESS,
BUILD A HEALTHY BASE,
and CHOOSE SENSIBLY.
Let's take a closer look at each one of these
areas.
AIM FOR
FITNESS
First of all, aim for a healthy weight. This may not mean that
you will be pencil thin, but that you will
reach a healthy weight for you personally. Secondly, be
physically active each day. Perhaps 30 minutes three times a
week is not enough for your health goal. Try to be active during
the day, from morning to night, in addition to regular planned
activity sessions.
BUILD A HEALTHY BASE
Let the Food Guide Pyramid guide your
food choices. Choose a variety of grains, daily, especially
whole grains. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.
The pyramid and the
5-A-Day movement, of course,
recommends 5
servings, at least, of fruits and vegetables daily. More would
be better. Also included in the Guidelines this time is a food
safety element: simply stated, "Keep food safe to eat". Food
safety can profoundly affect one's health.
CHOOSE SENSIBLY
Choose a diet low in saturated fat and
cholesterol and moderate in total fat. This doesn't mean that
you can't ever have a high fat-food choice, just that it needs to
be
balanced by non-fat or low-fat choices. Choose beverages and
foods to moderate your intake of sugars. Choose and prepare
foods with less salt. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in
moderation.
These Guidelines help you make sensible choices that promote
health and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. You can
enjoy all foods as a part of a healthy diet as long as you don't
overdo it on fat (especially saturated fats), sugars, salt and
alcohol. Read labels to identify foods that are higher in
saturated fats, sugars and salt (sodium).
By following all of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
2000, you can promote your health and reduce your risk for
chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer,
diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. These diseases are the
leading causes of death and disability among Americans. Good
diets can also reduce major risk factors for chronic disease,
such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol.
Your food choices, your lifestyle, your environment and your
family history all affect your well-being. If you are at a
higher risk for chronic disease, it is especially important for
you to follow the Guidelines.
One of the additions to the new guidelines is the inclusion
of the physical activity component. Physical activity and
nutrition work together for better health. For example, physical
activity increases the amount of calories you use. For those who
have intentionally lost weight, being active makes it easier to
maintain the weight loss. Physical activity and nutrition
work together in more ways
than weight management. Increasing the calories you use allows
you to eat more, which makes it easier to get the nutrients you
need. Physical activity and nutrition work together for bone
health, too. Calcium and other nutrients are needed to build and
maintain strong bones, but physical activity is needed as well.
Throughout the coming months, we will explore each of the
Guidelines in more depth.
This page created by Margie
Yarnell, Extension Secretary.
