Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health A healthy population is more productive Overnutrition Chronic consumption of more than necessary for good health Linked to leading causes of deaths in the US

Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health Planning how you will eat –Adequacy The foods you choose to eat provide all the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy in amounts sufficient to support growth and maintain health –Balance When the amount of energy you eat equals the amount of energy you expend in daily activities and exercise

Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health Planning how you will eat –Calorie control Choosing a diet that balances the calories you eat with the amount of calories your body uses –Nutrient density A description of the healthfulness of food Amount of vitamins and minerals relative to the calories the food provides

Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health Planning how you will eat –Moderation Not too much or too little –Variety Include a lot of different foods in your diet

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 A roadmap intended to guide personal choices and help individuals make informed food and activity decisions Science-based advice Cornerstone of federal nutrition policy and education

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 Helping Americans make healthy choices Reproduced from US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, th ed. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; December 2010.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 MyPlate –ChooseMyPlate.gov USDA’s icon and primary food group symbol Courtesy of USDA

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 MyPlate –To convey key messages Enjoy food but eat less Avoid oversized portions Make half your plate fruits and vegetables Drink water instead of sugary drinks Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk Compare sodium in foods Make at least half your grains whole grains

Using MyPlate or Canada’s Food Guide in Diet Planning Types of food Number of recommended servings Approximate serving size

From Dietary Guidelines to Planning: What Will You Eat? Using MyPlate food guide in diet planning

Recommendations for Nutrient Intake: The DRIs –Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) Recommendations for nutrient intake Tell us how much of each nutrient we should have in our diets History of dietary standards –1938 RDAs –Mid-1990s Food and Nutrition Board started publishing DRIs for nutrients

NO BOOK – how would your group devise a method to come up with the required intake for; 1. Vitamins and minerals 2. Protein 3. Calories * Would the decision making process be the same or different for each category?

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) –Amount that meets the nutrient req of 50% of people in a life-stage and gender group –Based on specific indicator of dietary adequacy

Dietary Reference Intakes Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) –Amount that meets the needs of most people (97–98%) in a life-stage and gender group

Dietary Reference Intakes Adequate Intake (AI) –Amount thought to be adequate for most people –AI is used when EAR and RDA can’t be determined Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) –Intake above the UL can be harmful

Dietary Reference Intakes Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) –Energy intake estimated to maintain energy balance in healthy, normal-weight individuals

Food Labels Mandatory information on food labels –Statement of identity –Net contents of the package –Name and address of manufacturer, packer, and distributor –List of ingredients Listed by common or usual name Listed in descending order by weight –Nutrition information Nutrition Facts panel

Food Labels Nutrition Facts panel – Standard format

Food Labels Daily Values –Compare amount in one serving to amount recommended for daily consumption –Based on recommended amounts of 2,000- calorie diet Nutrient content claims –Descriptive terms (e.g., low fat, high fiber) –Defined by FDA

Food Labels

Claims That Can Be Made for Foods and Dietary Supplements Health claims –Link one or more dietary components to reduced risk of disease –Must be supported by scientific evidence –Approved by FDA Structure/function claims –Describe potential effects on body structure or function