Family Nutrition: Decoding the Dietary Guidelines for 2010

Since 1980, the USDA has published dietary guidelines every five years based on previous research. Yesterday, January 31, 2011, the USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS) published their dietary guidelines for 2010.

After reading the document there is a common denominator that is the foundation of all recommendations and that is the epidemic increase in overweight and obese individuals in the United States. Incidence of obesity in children has doubled from ages two to eleven since the early 1970’s and it is thought that adults from the ages of twenty to sixty gain a pound a year.

The guidelines focus on mindful or conscious eating focusing on portion control, and a variety of nutrients to get you to your goal. It is recommended to focus on appropriate calorie consumption, decreasing solid fats and added sugars, and reducing sodium to less than 1500 mg/day. It is also recommended to continue physical activity as it helps balance calorie expenditure. Americans have sustained physical activity or even increased activity, leading one to believe that overconsumption in calories plays the largest role in weight gain.

The statement I agree with the most in the Dietary Guidelines for 2010 is that this is a lifestyle approach.

Check out the Dietary Guidelines for 2010 at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm and let me know your thoughts. Good luck and be well.

Comments

lorna vanderhaeghe said…

These new guidelines can definitely help improve our health. Changes always occur and we should always cope up with them.

March 3, 2011 at 2:27 AM

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