2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Finally Released!
On January 31, 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the official release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. So, what do we need to know? Many messages remained the same, but here's a summary of the main key points:- Balance Calories: this means focusing on portion sizes and physical activity to meet your individual needs for maintaining a healthy weight. This may mean working with a healthcare professional (ie. a registered dietitian, your physician, etc.) to help determine your personal needs.
- Foods to Increase: fruits, veggies, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. These foods have generally been underconsumed by Americans. Since they are essential for good health and provide great sources of vitamins and minerals, the recommendations are to add more of these into our eating plan.
- Foods to Reduce: Processed foods which provide large amounts of sodium and/or added sugars. One of the biggest changes is the more detailed sodium guideline which also targets specific populations. The guidelines recommend keeping total dietary sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day or less, OR to 1,500 mg or less if you are 51 years or older, African American (at any age), and/or have high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease (at any age).
This post was written by Kristine Van Workum, Registered Dietitian and owner of Brevard Nutrition, Inc. Kristine provides outpatient nutrition counseling for groups and individuals to help manage a wide variety of medical conditions. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, weight management and sports nutrition. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 321-327-7948, or visit her website.
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