New Release: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

You know you’re supposed to ‘be healthy’, but ever wonder where to start?

Every 5 years, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) release a set of guidelines to help Americans figure out how to have good dietary habits and how to reduce their risk of chronic disease.

The guidelines provide advice for making food choices that promote good health, a healthy weight, and help prevent disease for healthy Americans ages 2 and over.

The most recent version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010) was released today.

“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore,” said Secretary Vilsack.  “These new and improved dietary recommendations give individuals the information to make thoughtful choices of healthier foods in the right portions and to complement those choices with physical activity.  The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country.”

Obesity continues to be a critical issue in our country: it’s responsible for 75 cents of every dollar of the nation’s health care costs.  Obesity affects our ability to grow and innovate as a nation. When you’re unhealthy and overweight, it’s hard to be a good student; it’s hard to be productive.

The Dietary Guidelines help give Americans the tools they need to make necessary change.

So what exactly do the latest guidelines suggest we do?

The guidelines include 23 recommendations for the general public, as well as 6 key recommendations for specific populations, such as pregnant women and the elderly.

Read the full 2010 Dietary Guidelines here.

The 2 main themes:

1.  Maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight.

2. Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverage.

Some of the recommendations included are:

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Some other big ones that stand out:

- Reduce sodium intake to 2,300 mg (1,500 mg for targeted populations such as kidney and heart disease)

- Increase consumption of fish and seafood

- Use oils to replace solid fats

- Reduce time spent in sedentary behaviors

Remember:

Watch your calorie intake. Move move. Sit less. Eat less sugar/sodium/saturated fat. Eat more fruits/vegetables/whole grains. It matters.

Need help making sense of the guidelines or applying them to your own life? Find an RD at eatright.org

How are you going to get healthier in 2011?