Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010 - What YOU Need to Know - pt 1 of 3

You can view your own copy of the guidelines as well as some summary sheets by visiting this website. 

 SOURCE: DGAC (Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee). 2010. Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

1. The main theme of the guidelines is that we have over consumed and should now strive to meet our daily nutritional needs with constant attention to our energy needs.  We are encouraged to eat only as much as we need if not less.

2. The food environment does have an impact on individual behavior.  For example, the increased consumption of high calorie foods which are poor in nutrients (frequency and total volume) is based on the availability of them (physical and financial) where as the inverse is true for fruits and vegetables.

3. Because it has been found to be helpful, people should monitor their intake of calories and certain nutrients.

4. There should be efforts made to increase the availability and consumption of foods that are nutrient dense, in appropriate portions, with lower saturated fat, sugar and sodium content. 

5. SoFAS - stands for solid fats and added sugars - it is quite interesting then - the DGAs are focusing on added sugars but the IOM in its report on FOP labeling did not recommended their quantification!

6. Children are consuming too many calories as well and we should reduce this surplus especially in regards to SoFAS and empty calories often found in SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages).  We can replace these items with fruits and vegetables for which the country as a whole is in need.  Similar foods that are energy dense and low in calories should be consumed.

7. The type of calorie and its food source is less important in regards to weight loss than the amount of calories that one consumes. In other words, there is no strong evidence on the amount of protein vs carbohydrates that is best for weight loss, however there is concern about some adverse health effects and discomfort experienced in persons who eat a high protein diet.  Thus the DGA recommends the avoidance of high protein diets.

8. The diet (our day to day intake of foods and beverages) that is recommended is very much like the one that I both promote and adhere to.  It is on page E1-5 of the DGAC and reads…. “a relatively high intake of vegetables, fruit and total fiber, and a relatively low intake of total fat, saturated fat and added sugars.”  Boy - there is that added sugars thing again - you would think it important!  [sorry I am still upset with the IOM]

9. The DGAC [dietary guidelines for Americans committee]suggests that all overweight persons, regardless of age or health status, be encouraged to lose weight if they are overweight. This is related especially to older adults who were once thought unhealthy at low weights, but that was due to population research that did not capture that the low weight was weight loss from illness, not healthy weights from diet and exercise.

10. As noted in the above bulleted section (previous post) - physically active people may be less inclined to become overweight and all persons who are physically active have better health outcomes than those who are not.  The conclusions do not promote physical activity as a way to lose weight, but as a way to be healthy and contribute to the expenditure of calories.  It is noted in the chapter on energy balance that significant amounts of MVPA are needed to lose weight and that a majority of persons do not achieve the minimal recommendations. [moderate to vigorous physical activity]