The Dietary Guidelines…

• Are new! They were just released January 31, 2011.

• Are written by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Are revised every five years.• Are general guidelines on nutrition and

fitness.• Are based on current health information for

Americans.• Eliminated My Pyramid and replaced it with

My Plate.

TWO MAIN CONCEPTS

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

healthy weight.2. Focus on consuming nutrient-

dense foods and beverages.

PRINCIPLES FORCALORIE BALANCE

• Monitor food & beverage intake, physical activity, and body weight.

• Reduce portion sizes.• When eating out, make better

choices.• Limit screen time.

KEY TERM: Nutrient-Dense

• Provides vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances and relatively few calories without -– Solid fats in the food, or added to it– Added sugars– Added refined starches– Added sodium

• Retains naturally occurring components, such as dietary fiber.

WHAT FOODS ARE NUTRIENT-DENSE?• Vegetables• Fruits• Whole grains• Seafood• Eggs

• Beans & peas• Unsalted nuts &

seeds• Fat-free & low-fat

dairy• Lean meats &

poultry

…when prepared without solid fats or sugars

FOODS & FOOD COMPONENTS TO REDUCE:

• Sodium• Fats

– Saturated fats– Trans fats– Cholesterol

• Calories from solid fats & added sugars “SoFAS”

• Refined grains• Alcohol

FOODS & NUTRIENTS TO INCREASE:

• Vegetables• Fruits• Whole grains• Milk• Seafood, in place

of some meat/poultry

NUTRIENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN

• Potassium• Fiber

• Calcium• Vitamin

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