May2015

DIETITIAN’S VIEW
by Nancy M. Ouhib, MBA, RD/N, LD/N
Eat Your Way to Health
The 2015–2020
Dietary Guidelines
for Americans
were recently
released by the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the
Department of Health
and Human Services.
The purpose of the
guidelines is to provide
health professionals
and policymakers
with the information
they need to help the
public make informed choices about their
diets at home, work, school, and in their
communities. The updated guidelines
encourage Americans to improve how
they eat to reduce obesity and prevent
chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus
2, hypertension, and heart disease.
The guidelines were first published in
1980. This edition focuses on healthy
eating choices and health outcomes over
a lifetime. The guidelines provide sciencebased
recommendations on food and
nutrition so Americans can make manageable,
healthy decisions and changes to
help keep their
weight within
an acceptable
range and prevent
chronic conditions
at the same time.
Eating right is
one of the most
powerful tools we
have to reduce the
onset of unwanted
disease. A healthy
intake makes for
a healthy body.
The new recommendations
will help people to develop a
healthy eating pattern that is adaptable to
a person’s taste preferences, traditions,
culture, and budget. Most everyone can
benefit from making small shifts in their
daily eating patterns to improve their
overall health in the long run.
New Guidelines
List What You
Need to Know
Foods to Watch Out For
A healthy eating pattern limits:
A) Added sugars should make up less than 10 percent of
your caloric intake. Added sugars are sugars and syrups
that are added to foods or beverages when they are
prepared or processed. This does not include naturally
occurring sugars such as those in milk or fruits.
B) Less than 10 percent of your calories should come from
saturated fats. Foods that are high in saturated fat include
butter, whole milk and cream, meats that are not labeled
as lean, and coconut and palm oil. Replace saturated fats
with unsaturated fats such as canola or olive oil.
C) Limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per
day. Children under fourteen years should consume even
less. Be careful on the sodium in processed foods. Read
food labels as processed foods can be very high sources
of sodium. P
Everyone has a role and can play a part in
working toward a healthier, more nutritionally
sound and fit population. Ask yourself
what you can do today to make a smart
start toward a healthier lifestyle by making
a change in your diet and a change in your
physical activity level.
WHAT TO EAT
A healthy eating
pattern includes
these foods:
1. A variety of vegetables:
dark green, red and orange,
legumes (beans and
peas), starchy and other
vegetables.
2. Fruits, especially fresh,
whole fruits.
3. Grains, at least half of which
should be whole grains.
4. Fat-free or low-fat dairy,
including milk, yogurt,
cheese, and fortified soy
beverages.
5. A variety of protein foods,
including seafood, lean
meats and poultry, eggs,
legumes, soy products, and
nuts/seeds.
6. Oils, including those from
plants: canola, corn, olive,
peanut, safflower, soybean,
and sunflower. Oils are also
naturally present in nuts/
seeds, olives, and avocados.
KEEPING
ACTIVE
Physical activity is one of
the most important things
Americans can do to improve
their health. Adults need at least
150 minutes of moderate physical
activity weekly and should
perform muscle strengthening
exercises two or more days
each week. Children six to
seventeen years need at least
60 minutes of physical activity
daily including aerobic, muscle
strengthening, and bone
strengthening activities.
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MAY 2016