Diet & Health

Diet & Health

We hear so much about different fad diets, gluten-free, Weight Watchers, we see Lean Cuisines in the aisles of grocery markets- it’s hard to know what to listen to! Unfortunately, the growing data on diet & health in the US is showing us that we have a lot more to consider than restricting calories and temporary diets; we have to make some serious changes regarding our food choices, eating patterns, and lifestyle choices overall. How do we start this? Fortunately, Dietary Guidelines for Americans is reviewed, updated, and published every five years in order to help answer some of our questions on the matter!

Who needs to change the diet & health?

In the US, the most recent data tell us that 72 percent of men and 64 percent of women are overweight or obese, with about one-third of adults being obese. However, even for those who are not obese, poor diet and physical inactivity are associated with major causes of morbidity and mortality.

Our eating patterns are different from that of other cultures, as Americans. Although there is no single “American” or “Western” eating pattern, average American eating patterns currently don’t come close to these dietary recommendations. Americans eat too many calories and too much solid fat, added sugars, refined grains, and sodium. Americans also consume too little potassium; dietary fiber; calcium; vitamin D; unsaturated fatty acids from oils, nuts, and seafood; and other important nutrients. These nutrients are mostly found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat milk and milk products.

What is the problem?

Americans are having no issues consuming calorie-dense foods and beverages, but are lacking in the nutrient-dense food and beverage area.

Because people consume a variety of foods and beverages throughout the day as meals and snacks, a growing body of research has begun to describe overall eating patterns that help promote calorie balance and weight management

*A dietary pattern low in calorie density is characterized by a relatively high intake of vegetables, fruit, and dietary fiber and a relatively low intake of total fat, saturated fat, and added sugars*

For this, we are encouraged to increase our awareness of what, when, why, and how much we eat, deliberately making better choices regarding what and how much we consume, and go out of our way to become more active.

Major recommendations touching on the major issues from all categories:

·       increase intake of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits:

·       reduce intake of sugar-sweetened beverages:

·       Monitor intake of 100% fruit juice for children and adolescents, especially those who are overweight or obese:

·       Monitor calorie intake from alcoholic beverages for adults

Also, an issue with food safety, and thus we are recommended to practice mindfulness in terms of:

·       clean hands, food contact surfaces, and vegetables and fruits.

·       separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, storing, and preparing foods.

·       cook foods to a safe temperature.

·       chill (refrigerate) perishable foods promptly.

·        

Where are these problems coming from?

Here, in our environments in the US, a number of factors are contributing to both are dietary issues and thus our health issues overall. This creates an overall calorie-imbalance. We know that our food environment plays a vital role, as studies examining the relationship between the food environment and BMI have found that communities with a larger number of fast food or quick-service restaurants tend to have higher BMIs. Overall, choices are often limited by what is available in a person’s environment, including stores, restaurants, schools, and worksites. Moreover, our portion sizes have increased dramatically. Naturally, research has shown that when larger portion sizes are served, people tend to consume more calories.

That’s only half of the equation, though…

Environment affects both sides of the calorie balance equation—it can promote overconsumption of calories and discourage physical activity and calorie expenditure.

On the other side of the calorie balance equation, many Americans spend most of their waking hours engaged in sedentary behaviors. In these environments, it’s very difficult to expend enough calories to maintain calorie balance. Many home, school, work, and community environments do not facilitate a physically active lifestyle. One example of this outside of the office can be seen from the lack of sidewalks or parks and concerns for safety when outdoors. This decreases our ability to get physically active. Also, over the past several decades, transportation and technological advances have meant that people now expend fewer calories to perform tasks of everyday life.

When did these problems start to occur?

Although the problem has been growing, it seems in 2007-2008 we really began to take notice.

Why do we care?

            Not only is obesity linked to high mortality rates itself, but there are a number of other chronic illnesses stemming from a poor diet, separate from weight itself. Without having a proper diet and getting in all of the nutrients we need, we put ourselves at risk for many other problems.

Overall, we’re encouraged to

·      Limit calorie intake to the amount needed to attain or maintain a healthy weight for adults, and for appropriate weight gain in children and adolescents.

·      Consume foods from all food groups in nutrientdense forms and in recommended amounts.

·      Reduce intake of solid fats (major sources of saturated and trans fatty acids).

·      Replace solid fats with oils (major sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids) when possible. Reduce intake of added sugars.

·      Reduce intake of refined grains and replace some refined grains with whole grains.

·      Reduce intake of sodium (major component of salt).

·      If consumed, limit alcohol intake to moderate levels.

·      Increase intake of vegetables and fruits. Increase intake of whole grains.

·      Increase intake of milk and milk products and replace whole milk and full-fat milk products with fat-free or low-fat choices to reduce solid fat intake.

·      Increase seafood intake

I think we’re starting to take some steps in the right direction, quite literally whatwith our new trend for FitBit competitions and instagramming our food! A lot of these new fads are seen as “basic”, but they’re definitely increasing our awareness of our activity levels and what we are putting into our body! Moreover, a lot of these problems probably stem from our desire to always be efficient, get things done faster, etc. If I’ve learned anything from the recent data, while it may be faster to take the bus or elevator, it may be worth going out of our way to be less efficient and take the long way home from class, or take the stairs if it means prolonging our lives!

Sources

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, March, 2017.