12/04
Update
2005 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans
Prepared
by: Janice Hermann, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.
Nutrition
Education Specialist
321
HES/NSCI
Cooperative
Extension Service
Stillwater,
OK 74078-6111
(405)
744-6824
Source: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/
IMPLICATIONS FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. The U.S. Departments of Health and
Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) have revised and updated the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years since 1980. The Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee has released their recommendations for the 2005
Dietary Guidelines. This report provides a strong foundation for the 2005
dietary Guidelines for Americans, which will be released in early 2005. The
following are some key findings and specific recommendations of the Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Key
Findings of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee:
The
Committee concluded that the following nine recommendations incorporate its key
scientific
findings:
¥ Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic food
groups while staying within energy needs.
¥ Control calorie intake to manage body weight.
¥ Be physically active every day.
¥ Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
and non-fat or low-fat milk and milk products.
¥ Choose fats wisely for good health.
¥ Choose carbohydrates wisely for good health.
¥ Choose and prepare foods with little salt.
¥ If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
¥ Keep food safe to eat.
Highlights
of Specific Recommendations:
Variety/Nutrient
Intake –
¥ Most Americans need to increase their consumption of vitamin E,
calcium, potassium, and fiber.
¥ Many Americans need to increase their intake of vitamins A and
C, and magnesium.
¥ A few special nutrient recommendations apply to the elderly,
women in the childbearing years, and groups susceptible to vitamin D
insufficiency
o Iron--Women of
childbearing age can reduce the risk of iron deficiency by eating foods high in
iron (preferably meat, poultry, fish, shellfish) and/or consuming iron-rich
plant foods.
o Folic Acid--To
reduce the risk of a pregnancy being affected by a neural tube defect, daily
intake of 400 µg of synthetic folic acid (from supplements or fortified food)
is recommended for women who are capable of becoming pregnant and those in the
first trimester of pregnancy.
o Vitamin B12--The
goal for those over age 50 is to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as
fortified breakfast cereals, or to take vitamin B12 supplements to achieve a
B12 intake of at least 2.4 mcg/day (this equals about 40% of the Daily Value
expressed on food labels.
o Vitamin D--The
elderly, persons with dark skin, and persons exposed to insufficient UVB
radiation are at risk of being unable to maintain vitamin D status. Persons in
these groups may need substantially more than the 1997 Adequate Intake for
vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or vitamin D supplements.
Energy
Balance/Calorie Control:
¥ Calories/Carbohydrates/Fats--To stem the obesity epidemic, most
Americans need to reduce the amount of calories they consume. When it comes to weight control,
calories do count—not the proportions of carbohydrate, fat, and protein
in the diet. The healthiest way to reduce calorie intake is to reduce oneÕs
intake of saturated fat, added sugars, and alcohol—they all provide
calories but they do not provide essential nutrients. For most people, a
reduction of 50 to 100 calories per day will prevent weight gain, but a reduction
of 500 calories or more per day is a common goal in weight loss programs.
Controlling portion sizes helps limit calorie intake, especially when eating
energy-dense foods (foods that are high in calories for a given amount).
¥ Physical Activity-- 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical
activity per day is recommended to prevent weight gain, but 60 to 90 minutes of
physical activity per day is recommended to sustain weight loss.
Physical
Activity: 30 minutes of at least moderate physical activity on most days provide
important health benefits in adults. More than 30 minutes of moderate
to vigorous physical activity on most days provide even more health benefits.
Vigorous intensity physical activity (e.g., jogging or other aerobic exercise)
provides greater benefits for physical fitness than moderate physical activity,
and it burns more calories per unit time.
¥ At least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
activity on most days is recommended for children to maintain
good health and fitness and for healthy weight during growth.
¥ Short bouts (e.g., 10-minute bouts) of moderate activity can
count toward total physical activity goals.
¥ During leisure time, it is advisable for all individuals, to
limit sedentary behaviors such as television watching and video viewing and
replace them with activities that require more movement.
Fats: To decrease
their risk of elevated LDL cholesterol, most Americans need to decrease their
intakes of saturated fat and trans fat, and many need to decrease their dietary
intake of cholesterol. Recommended goals are less than 10% of calories from
saturated fat and less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day for adults with an
LDL cholesterol <130 mg/dL.
¥ Saturated Fats—Saturated fat consumption should be kept as
low as possible. Dietary intake of saturated fat is much higher than that of
trans fat and cholesterol. Intakes of all three fats should be decreased;
however, decreasing intake of saturated fat is most beneficial because it is
consumed in greater amounts.
¥ Trans Fats-- The Committee recommended that trans fatty acid
consumption by all population groups be <1% of energy intake. Since trans
fatty acids are produced in the hydrogenation of vegetable oils and account for
more than 80 percent of total trans fat in the food supply, the food industry
has a large role to play in helping consumers decrease their trans fat intake.
¥ Omega-3 Fatty Acids-- To benefit from the potential cardio
protective effects of EPA and DHA, the Committee recommended weekly consumption
of two servings of fish, particularly fish rich in EPA and DHA. However, it is
advisable for pregnant women, lactating women, and children to avoid eating
fish with high mercury content and to limit their consumption of fish with
moderate mercury content. The report also stated that other rich food sources
of EPA and DHA might be beneficial, although more research is needed.
¥ Total
Fat-- Recommended total fat intake is between 20% and 35% of energy.
Carbohydrates:
Recommended total carbohydrate intake is between 45% and 65% of
energy. The IOM set a Recommended Dietary Allowance of 130 grams per day for
adults and children.
¥ Fiber Intake: Most Americans of all ages need to increase their
fiber intake. The recommended intake of dietary fiber is 14 grams per 1000
calories.
¥ Sugar Intake: Reducing intake of added sugars (especially
sugar-sweetened beverages) may be helpful in weight control and aid in
achieving recommended nutrient intakes. A combined approach of reducing the
frequency of consuming sugars and starches (e.g., limiting snacking on foods
that contain these carbohydrates) and optimizing oral hygiene practices is
advised to reduce dental caries incidence.
Selected
Food Groups: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products are
carbohydrate-containing foods, and they all are important to a healthy diet.
¥ Fruit/Vegetable Intake: To meet nutrient adequacy
recommendation, a range of 5-13 servings of fruits and vegetables each day is
recommended for daily energy intakes of 1200-3000 calories. For a 2000 calorie
daily energy intake, 9 servings (4 ½ cups) are recommended.
¥ Whole Grains Intake: The goal for whole grain intake is at least
three servings (equal to 3 ounces) per day, preferably by eating whole grains
in place of refined grains.
¥ Milk Intake: For people who require 1600 kcal/day or more, the
goal for milk and milk products is 3 cups of non-fat or low-fat milk or the
equivalent per day. The goal is 2 cups per day for those with lower calorie needs.
Salt
Intake:
¥ Nearly all Americans consume substantially more salt than is
recommended. Decreasing salt (sodium chloride) intake is advisable to reduce
the risk of high blood pressure. Expressed in terms of sodium, the general goal
is for adults to aim to consume less than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
¥ Many persons will benefit from reducing their salt intake even
more. Such persons include hypertensive individuals, blacks, and middle- and
older-aged adults.
¥ Since sodium added during the processing of foods provides more
than three-fourths of total intake, the food industry has a large role to play
in helping consumers decrease their sodium intake.
Alcohol
Intake: The consumption of alcohol can have beneficial or harmful effects
depending on the amount consumed, the age and other characteristics of the
person consuming the alcohol, and specific situations. The lowest all-cause and
coronary heart disease mortality rates occur at an intake of one to two drinks
per day. Morbidity and mortality are highest among those drinking large amounts
of alcohol.
¥ Those that choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so
sensibly, and in moderation.
¥ Abstention is an important option; approximately one in three
American adults do not drink alcohol.
¥ Moderation is defined as the consumption of up to one drink per
day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. One drink is defined as 12
ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 ounces of
80-proof distilled spirits.
¥ Drinking alcoholic beverages should be avoided before or when
driving, or whenever it puts anyone at risk.
¥ In some situations, alcohol should be avoided: DGAC added
breastfeeding women to the list of examples.
Food
Safety: The most important food safety problem is microbial foodborne
illness.
The
behaviors in the home that are most likely to prevent a problem with foodborne
illnesses are:
¥ Cleaning hands, contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables.
(This does not apply to meat and poultry, which should not be washed.)
¥ Separating raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping,
preparing, or storing.
¥ Cooking foods to a safe temperature.
¥ Chilling (refrigerating) perishable foods promptly. Avoiding higher-risk
foods is an important
protective
measure against foodborne illness. In the case of listeriosis higher-risk
groups such as the young, pregnant women, the elderly, and those who are
immunocompromised should re-heat frankfurters and deli meats to a safe temperature.