Counting calories and living longer: New dietary guidelines for Americans

by Aimee Keenan-Greene 

Put down the salt shaker, and pick up the salad fork.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government's evidence-based nutritional 'rulebook', has been released.

"Helping Americans incorporate these guidelines into their everyday lives is important to improving the overall health of the American people," said Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sebelius. "The new Dietary Guidelines provide concrete action steps to help people live healthier, more physically active and longer lives."

The new 7th edition focuses on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourage Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains. 

Agriculture Secretary TomVilsack and HHS Kathleen Sebelius announced the plan that's aimed at reducing the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. 

USDA and HHS conducted this latest review of the scientific literature, and developed and issued the Guidelines in a joint effort  mandated by Congress. The Guidelines form the basis of nutrition education programs, Federal nutrition assistance programs such as school meals programs and Meals on Wheels programs for seniors, and dietary advice provided by health professionals. 

Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Agriculture   announced they are raising the nutrition standards for National School Lunch and School Breakfast meal programs for the first time in fifteen years, making critical changes to school meals this fall to help improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs everyday.

The proposed changes to school meal standards would add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals.  The recommendations are based on the October 2009 report by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM),  School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children. Schools would also be required to limit the levels of saturated fat, sodium, calories, and trans fats in meals.

"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. "These new and improved dietary recommendations give individuals the information to make thoughtful choices of healthier foods in the right portions and to complement those choices with physical activity. The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country." 

This edition of the Dietary Guidelines comes at a critical juncture for America's health and prosperity says the USDA. By adopting the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines, Americans can live healthier lives and contribute to a lowering of health-care costs, helping to strengthen America's long-term economic competitiveness and overall productivity. 

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include 23 Key Recommendations for the general population and six additional Key Recommendations for specific population groups, such as women 

who are pregnant. 

The USDA says the Key Recommendations are the most important messages within the Guidelines in terms of their implications for improving public health. The recommendations are intended as an integrated set of advice to achieve an overall healthy eating pattern. 

More consumer-friendly advice and tools, including a next generation Food Pyramid, will be released by USDA and HHS in the coming months. Below is a preview of some of the tips that will be provided to help consumers translate the Dietary Guidelines into their everyday lives: 

Enjoy your food, but eat less.

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.

To get the full benefit, all Americans should carry out the Dietary Guidelines recommendations in their entirety.