Chapter 12

Nutrition Guidelines

©2015 Cengage Learning.

Nutrition

• Nutrition– Is the study of food and how it is used by the

body

– It includes the start-to-finish processes of• Eating• Digestion of food• Transportation of nutrients• Absorption of nutrients into cells• Excretion of unused material

Nutrients

• Food yields nutrients essential to the human body: Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

• Nutrients serve three main functions:– Supply energy – Provide materials for building and maintaining healthy

cells– Regulate body processes

Nutrients

• All persons throughout their life span require the same nutrients—only the amounts that are needed change.

Nutrition Guidelines

• Several tools are available to help guide decisions about consuming a nutritious diet, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy weight.

• Helping children to develop healthy eating and activity behaviors can have positive lifelong outcomes.

Nutrition Guidelines

• Are designed to serve one of two purposes:– To ensure adequate nutrient intake – To encourage healthy lifestyle practices

Nutrition Guidelines

• Nutrient guidelines that are designed to ensure adequate nutrient intake include:

– Daily Reference Intakes (DRIs)– MyPlate

Daily Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• DRIs provide information about:– Recommended nutrient intake by age– Nutrient goals for which a limit has been determined– The highest level of a nutrient that is unlikely to cause

a health risk

• DRIs are also used to establish national nutrition program policy and for labeling purposes.

ChooseMyPlate.gov

• The MyPlate interactive tool provides consumers with a wealth of information about: – Food groups and healthy eating patterns– Nutrient-dense sources of essential vitamins and

minerals– Portion size, moderation, and calories– Physical activity to balance food intake– Recipes for nutritious food preparation

ChooseMyPlate.gov

• Spend time exploring the interactive features and learn how to personalize the recommendations– http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Nutrition Guidelines

• Additional nutrient guidelines that are designed to encourage healthy lifestyle practices include:– Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans– Healthy People 2020– Canada’s Food Guide– Let’s Move

Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans

• Key recommendations include:– Consuming a variety of nutrient-dense

foods within caloric needs– Maintaining a healthy weight– Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis– Including a variety of fruits and vegetables each day– Reducing saturated fat and cholesterol intake– Keeping fat intake to 20 to 30 percent of total calories

Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans

– Choosing fiber-rich and whole grain carbohydrates– Decreasing sugar intake– Consuming less than 2000 mg of sodium daily– Drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation– Practicing food safety

• This document can be viewed at:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp (Note: New guidelines will be released in 2015).

Healthy People 2020

•Areas of health that are addressed in the document include:

– Physical activity, nutrition and weight management, mental health, injury and violence prevention, oral health, food safety, environmental health, immunization and infectious diseases, and improved access to health care.

– This document can be viewed at: http://www.healthypeople.gov

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

• Canada’s Food Guide provides similar recommendations.

• This document can be viewed at:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (1990)

•Food & Drug Administration (FDA) food label requirements:

– Mandatory labeling of most packaged foods– Standardized serving sizes– Manufacturer’s contact information– Uniform use of terms and health claims– List of all ingredients

•2004 amendment requires listing of allergenic proteins (e.g., tree nuts, peanuts, soy beans, egg, fish, shellfish, wheat, milk)

Making Sense of Food Labels

The Daily Values are based on expert dietary advice about how much, or how little, of some key nutrients you should eat each day, depending on whether you eat 2,000 or 2,500 calories a day.

Daily Values (DVs )

Case Study

Ruby runs a small child care program in her home. The preschool-age children begin arriving at 7 A.M. each morning and leave by 5:30 P.M.

Ruby prepares and serves them breakfast, lunch, and two snacks throughout the day.

This year, she has encountered several children who have challenging food allergies and food preferences.

What suggestions would you offer to help Ruby in each of the following situations?

Case Study

• Layla, age 4, breaks out in hives whenever she has eaten too many strawberries or oranges. She will occasionally accept a small serving of applesauce or a few bites of banana but few other fruits. What two nutrients are probably deficient in Layla’s diet? What other fruits or vegetables can Ruby serve to supply these essential vitamins?

• Ailani, age 3, is lactose intolerant and unable to drink milk or to eat dairy products. What nutrient is most likely deficient in Ailani’s diet? What other foods can Ruby serve to meet Ailani’s nutrient needs?

• Carlos, age 5, doesn’t like milk and demands fruit juice or lemonade instead. What two nutrients are most likely deficient? What adjustments can Ruby make in his diet to meet these needs?

Case Study

• Mariko, age 2, prefers a daily diet of rice or noodles that have been drenched in soy sauce. She will take a few bites of tofu when her mother insists, but refuses meats, fish, and most vegetables. What nutrients is she missing? What health concerns would you have about Mariko’s current dietary pattern? What can Ruby do to improve Mariko’s dietary intake?

• Sophia’s favorite breakfast foods include bacon, sausages, doughnuts, and biscuits with gravy. What nutrients is she consuming in excess? What food groups and nutrients is she lacking? Should Ruby be concerned, and what can she do to encourage healthier eating habits?