Eating for a Healthy Life

By AHMED AUF

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

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Aim for Fitness Aim for a healthy weight Be physically active each day Build a Healthy Base Let the Pyramid guide your food choices Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily Keep food safe to eat

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

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Choose Sensibly Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars Choose and prepare foods with less salt If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation

Common Recommendations

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Dietary Guidelines, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, National Research Council: Saturated fat < 10% of kcal Polyunsaturated fat < 10% of kcal Dietary cholesterol < 300 mg/day Carbohydrates > 55% of kcal Energy intake to achieve and maintain healthy weight Sodium intake < 2400 mg/day (1)

American Institute for Cancer Research

1997 - Expert panel of scientists reviewed > 4,500 research studies and published the most comprehensive report ever concerning diet, nutrition, and cancer The report shows that 30-40% of all cancers could be prevented through changing how we eat and exercise

Diet and Health Guidelines for Cancer Prevention

Choose a diet rich in a variety of plant-based foods 2. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits 3. Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active 4. Drink alcohol only in moderation if at all 5. Select foods low in fat and salt 6. Prepare and store food safely And always remember Do not use tobacco in any form
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The New American Plate

2/3 or more of the plate should be covered by plant-based foods vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans 1 or more vegetables or fruits and not just grain products 1/3 or less of the plate should be covered by meat, fish, poultry, or low-fat dairy

Vegetables and Fruits

5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day Research suggests this one dietary change could prevent as many as 20% of all cancers Vegetables and fruits provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals Variety is important to get the widest array dark green, deep orange, citrus

Other Plant-based Foods

7 or more servings of other plant-based foods such as whole grains and legumes Whole grains are higher in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than refined grains

Meat on the Side

Choose lean cuts of red meat and limit yourself to no more than 3 oz. per day AICRs report shows that diets high in red meat probably increase the risk of colon cancer Poultry, fish, and game do not have the same impact and no limits have been set; keep portions small enough to be able to eat an abundance of plant-based foods

The Old American Plate

How Does It Look Again?

Stir-fry is the kind of meal that belongs on the New American Plate Bursting with colorful vegetables, hearty grains, and cancerfighting vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals Red meat, poultry, or seafood is used as a condiment to add flavor and texture

How Does This Impact Weight Control?

It is about calories, not a magic protein vs. carbohydrate formula Obesity became an epidemic in the U.S. at the same time portion sizes grew Now value meals and super sizes are commonplace Average calorie intake per day of Americans has risen from 1,854 to 2,002 over the last 20 years 148 calories/day, which is estimated to add an extra 15 pounds per year (2)

National Weight Control Registry

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Developed at Brown Medical School Studied > 3,000 American adults who lost an average of 60 pounds and kept it off for an average of 6 years How do they do it? Successful losers report 4 common behaviors: Eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet They monitor themselves by weighing They are very physically active (> 1 hour/day) They eat breakfast (3)

Weight Loss

The 1st step is setting a realistic goal and determine what is a healthy weight for you Weight reductions of 5-15% reduce risk factors for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension

Weight Loss

Remember the New American Plate? It features more food and fewer calories (the real culprit) Eating meals with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans will make you feel more satisfied and help keep your weight in a healthy range A diet based on these foods can help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke, hypertension, and other debilitating conditions

Hallmarks of Unhealthy Diets

They promote quick weight loss loss of muscle and water They limit food selections and dictate specific rituals They use testimonials from famous people and tie the diet to well-know cities They bill themselves as cure-alls They often recommend supplements No attempts are made to change eating habits permanently They are generally critical of and skeptical about the scientific community (4)

The Final Message

There is NO need to follow the latest diet trend Keep an eye on the kinds of food on your plate and the size of portions Enjoy the wonderful variety of healthy foods with which God has blessed us

References

1. Lee RD and Nieman DC. Nutritional Assessment. 2003;33-40. 2. American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter, November 2000;3-22. 3. FDA Consumer, January/February 2002; 18-25. 4. Wardlaw GM and Kessel M. Perspectives in Nutrition. 2002;557.

Web Sites

USDA nutrition information www.nal.usda.gov/fnic Dietary Guidelines for Americans via the Nutritional Assessment web site www.mhhe.com/hper/nutrition American Institute for Cancer Research - www.aicr.org American Dietetic Association www.eatright.org Web Dietitian www.webdietitian.com Weight-control Information Network www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/nutrit.htm

Thank You!