Dietary Guidelines

What we eat is a crucial part of staying healthy. Many chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes (Read about "Coronary Heart Disease" "Diabetes"), can be controlled or even prevented by a healthy diet, according to nutrition experts. Every five years the federal government, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), issues dietary guidelines. The sixth and latest edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. It is the basis of federal food programs and nutrition education programs.

Eating a healthy balance of nutritious foods continues as a central point in the Dietary Guidelines, but balancing nutrients is not enough for health, according to USDA. Total calories also count, especially as more Americans are gaining weight. (Read about "Fighting Weight Gain") Because almost two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese (Read about "Obesity"), and more than half get too little physical activity, the Dietary Guidelines place a strong emphasis on calorie control and physical activity. The guidelines are also important as part of a healthy lifestyle for entire families. Childhood obesity is a growing problem as well. (Read about "Childhood Weight Issues")

As part of the guidelines, a graphic called MyPlate, was created. It replaces the old Food Guide Pyramid. The MyPlate symbol is meant to encourage consumers to make healthy food choices and in appropriate proportions. (Read about "Food Labels") The MyPlate icon is dramatically simpler, dealing only with food choices not with other issues such as exercise. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.

The colors used on the MyPlate graphic are the same that were used on the Food Pyramid.

The colors and the groups are:

• Orange - Grains
• Green - Vegetables
• Red - Fruit
• Blue - Dairy products
• Purple - Proteins

The MyPlate icon also makes use of the proportionality idea from the Food Pyramid. The various sizes of the sections suggest how much food a person should choose from each group. The sizes are just a general guide, not exact proportions.

The Guidelines identify 41 key recommendations, of which 23 are for the general public and 18 for special populations. They are grouped into nine general topics:

• Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
• Weight Management
• Physical Activity
• Food Groups to Encourage
• Fats
• Carbohydrates
• Sodium and Potassium (Read about "Vitamins & Minerals")
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Food Safety

Following is a list of key recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Key Recommendations for the General Population

• Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
• Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced eating pattern, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan. (Read about "Hypertension: High Blood Pressure")

Weight management

• To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended. (Read about "Burning Calories")
• To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity. (Read about "Fighting Weight Gain")

Physical activity

• Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight. (Read about "Getting Started on Fitness")
  • To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
  • For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
  • To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
  • To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.
• Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance. (Read about "Stretching & Health")

Food groups to encourage

• Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables and other vegetables) several times a week.
• Consume three or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
• Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Fats

• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible. (Read about "Cholesterol")
• Keep total fat intake between 20 to 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 and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low fat or fat free. (Read about "Low-Fat Food Tips")
• Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.

Carbohydrates

• Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains often. (Read about "Fiber & Health")
• Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.
• Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently. (Read about "Oral Health")

Sodium and potassium

• Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium. That's about 1 teaspoon of table salt. The guidelines further reduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. (Read about "Kidney Disease") The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to about half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of adults. (Read about "Sodium")
• Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Alcoholic beverages

• Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation-defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
• Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol and those with specific medical conditions. (Read about "Alcoholism")
• Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

Food safety

To avoid microbial foodborne illness: (Read about "Food Safety")

• Clean hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.
• Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods.
• Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms. (Read about "Microorganisms")
• Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly.
• Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.