Improve your health and well-being in 2021
A fresh new year is upon us – a perfect time to make some dietary changes that could improve your health and wellbeing both short- and long-term! Coincidentally, the national Dietary Guidelines for Americans have just been updated. These can provide you with information and support going forward to help you formulate and achieve your goals.
The Dietary Guidelines were originally created to improve health and lower the risk of chronic disease in the American population. The National Monitoring and Related Research Act passed in 1990 mandated that every five years, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The final version of this exhaustive process has now been released to cover 2020-2025.
The process starts with an in-depth review of scientific research and current medical knowledge by an external Federal Advisory Committee. This information is then passed on to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee that uses the information to formulate a scientific report that is then submitted to USDA and HHS for their review.
The content of this report is then used to develop/update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. After the original draft is created, the preliminary guidelines are reviewed by experts in related fields (external peer review) and approved by both USDA and HHS. At various points along the way, agency and public comments are welcome and acknowledged.
Statistically, about 60% of American adults have one or more diet-related chronic health conditions. The intent of the Guidelines is health promotion and disease prevention. This means that each step individuals take towards these recommendations can improve health outcomes. The health benefits of making positive dietary changes have been confirmed by research for risk reduction of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and bone health.
Historically, the focus of the Guidelines has shifted from encouraging the intake of specific nutrients, to an emphasis on healthier overall patterns of food intake. “Make Every Bite Count” is the overlying recommendation in the newest version. The 2020-2025 edition also makes recommendations for all age groups with the idea that it is never too late or too early to eat healthy.
The new Guidelines have four overarching recommendations that have key supporting principles embedded within them. The first suggests following a healthy diet at every life stage. The second is to customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.
The third guideline says to focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and to stay within calorie limits. Statistics indicate that 75% of people do not consume enough fruits, vegetables, and dairy. Currently about 74% of American adults are overweight or obese. The fourth guideline encourages limiting foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limiting alcoholic beverages.
The latter guideline relates to the current statistics that 63% of Americans exceed the limit for added sugars, 77% exceed the limit for saturated fat, and 90% exceed the “chronic disease risk reduction” limits for sodium.
Some key principles also noted in the Guidelines are to choose a variety of options from each food group and to pay attention to portion sizes. Variety is especially important in the fruit and vegetable food groups. The resources made available to health care providers and consumers at (www.dietary guidelines.gov) include more detailed information on how to make progress in achieving the recommendations over time.
Some tips included for consumers are to make vegetables half of your plate (think lunch and dinner), to focus on eating more fruit, to make half of the grain foods you eat “whole” grains, to consume a variety of protein sources, including more plant-based proteins.
Examples of plant proteins would be beans, lentils, edamame and other soy products, nuts, seeds, and nut/seed butters. The Guidelines are not recommending a low fat diet, but a diet that is low in saturated fats which are then to be replaced by unsaturated fats. Lean or low fat meat/poultry, eggs, and low methylmercury fish/seafood can also be included.
They also recommend moving towards low fat or non-fat dairy products (or lactose-free dairy or fortified soy milk/yogurt). Cream, sour cream, and cream cheese are not included as they do not contain significant calcium. Other beverages that are marketed as milk alternatives are not encouraged as their nutritional content is not similar to dairy milk.
More detailed information suggests limiting daily added sugar consumption to less than 10% of daily calories for those over two years of age and none for infants and toddlers. They recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of calories per day, and limiting sodium intake to less than 2300mg/day (even less for those under 14 years of age). If alcohol is consumed, the goal is no more than two servings a day for men and no more than one a day for women.
Looking for even more detailed actions steps you can take towards better health? Again, check out the resources made available through the Dietary Guidelines website noted above. Remember, that each step you take towards a healthier diet will contribute to better overall health, will help to address current diet-related chronic diseases you may have, as well as reduce the risk of acquiring one or more chronic medical conditions.
Pam Stuppy, MS, RD, LD is a registered, licensed dietitian with nutrition counseling offices in York, ME and Portsmouth, NH. She has also been the nutritionist for Phillips Exeter Academy, presents workshops nationally, and provides guidance in sports nutrition. (See www.pamstuppynutrition.com for more nutrition information, some healthy cooking tips, and recipe ideas).