Today's Advice for Smart Nutrition: 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Facts for FACS Teachers, Family and Consumer Science, Glencoe

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Today's Advice for Smart Nutrition: 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Roberta L. Duyff, MS, RD, CFCS, author, Nutrition and Wellness © 2004

Feel better today and stay healthy for tomorrow. How? Follow the latest science-based advice, released in January, 2005, for nutrition and physical activity. Geared toward healthy Americans two years of age and over, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans aim to promote health and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases through nutrition and physical activity. The goal is to help Americans live healthier, longer lives.

Why now? Every five years, federal law requires that the Dietary Guidelines be updated. This is the sixth time the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture have published Dietary Guidelines. The first was in 1980.

The first step in the revision process for its release in 2005 was an expert review of the best-available scientific information on nutrition and health, including medical information. Next, government scientists and officials not only reviewed this scientific report, but they also reviewed agency and public comments before developing the recommendations. The final step is currently in process: translating 2005 Dietary Guidelines into meaningful messages for the public and educators.

Highlights from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
Dietary Guidelines is not “food-group advice”; it’s much broader. The report answers questions about what Americans should eat to gain the health benefits from a nutritionally balanced diet, how to get the most nourishment from the calories consumed, how to prepare food to keep it safe and wholesome, and how to maintain health through physical activity.

Besides the scientific update, what makes the new Dietary Guidelines different from past advice? With the growing obesity problem, there's much more emphasis on eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity. The new recommendations also provide action steps for weight control, stronger muscles and bones, and balanced nutrition to help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

The format for the 2005 Dietary Guidelines differs from the ten brief statements given in the previous guidelines. For 2005, 41 key recommendations (23 for the general public and 18 for special populations) are grouped into nine general topics:

Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
Weight Management
Physical Activity
Food Groups to Encourage
Fats
Carbohydrates
Sodium and Potassium
Alcoholic Beverages
Food Safety

See the chart below, Summary of Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Dietary Guidelines in Action
A federal government report, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, guides many nutrition-focused initiatives, including public policy and nutrition education. Government programs, such as school lunch, food labeling, the food stamp program, and the WIC program, will be reviewed and updated in the near future using these recommendations. The new Dietary Guidelines will drive food-product development, marketing, and consumer information in the food industry.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines report was written for professionals, not for classroom or consumer use. In order to help healthy Americans understand and apply the 2005 Dietary Guidelines to their own lives, government agencies are developing consumer-friendly brochures, Web sites, and instructional aids. In April, the Food Guide Pyramid was replaced with MyPyramid, http://www.mypyramid.gov/, an interactive food guidance system. This system provides for a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle.

More about the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
For the executive summary and the complete report, which includes more advice for specific groups of consumers, including teens, refer to the Web site:
www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines. An easy-to-use consumer brochure, Finding Your Way to a Healthier You, (also on the Web site), can help students and parents put this science-based advice for smart eating and active living into action. The brochure provides information for making smart choices from every food group, balancing food and physical activity, and getting the most nutrition from the calories consumed.

Summary of Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Main Topic	Key Recommendations
Adequate nutrients within calorie needs	Eat a variety of nutritious foods and beverages. Choose foods that limit saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and salt. Adopt a balanced eating pattern.
Weight Management	Balance calories consumed with calories used for energy needs to maintain a healthy weight. Adjust calories and activity to prevent weight gain.
Physical Activity	Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight. Include cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.
Food Groups to Encourage	Consume a variety of foods from the different food groups. Eat the recommended amounts each day but in balance with energy needs.
Fats	Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep consumption of trans fat as low as possible. Keep total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. When selecting meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, choose lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and trans fat.
Carbohydrates	Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often. Choose foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners. Practice good oral hygiene and consume sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.
Sodium and Potassium	Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) per day by choosing and preparing foods with little salt. Consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Alcoholic beverages	Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, such as those who cannot restrict their intake, women who are pregnant or could become pregnant, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination.
Food Safety	Avoid microbial food-borne illness by cleaning hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed. Keep raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods separated. Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly and defrost foods properly. Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or milk products, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.