New Dietary Guidelines for Americans announced

Friday, 04 February 2011 14:52

On January 31, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The federal government's nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and reduce the rate of overweight and obesity in the United States, the guidelines are updated every five years.

Though the new guidelines haven't changed much since the last time they were issued in 2005, the content places more emphasis on the prevention and treatment of obesity and chronic disease.

"The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore," said Secretary Vilsack.

Says Secretary Sebelius, the new guidelines provide "concrete action steps to help people live healthier, more physically active and longer lives." Key recommendations for weight loss or maintenance include controlling total calorie intake, increasing physical activity, and reducing time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching TV.

More key recommendations:

• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
• Keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible by limiting foods such as partially hydrogenated oils and other solid fats.
• Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars.
• Limit the consumption of refined grains, especially those that contain solid fats, added sugars, and sodium.
• Choose foods that provide more potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D, which are nutrients of concern in American diets.

The USDA and HSS plan to release more advice and health tools in the coming months, including an updated food pyramid.

To learn more, visit the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm