Dietary Guidelines For a Healthy Lifestyle Lesson

Do you know how many servings of grains or meat you should eat each day? Many Americans do not know the answer to this question. The Dietary Guidelines (a set of evidence guidelines to help Americans, age 2 and older, live a healthier lifestyle) were created by a lineup of scientists and nutritionists to guide the eating routines of Americans ages 2 and up. The guidelines are published every 5 years by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). The current version is the 7th revision of the document. There was major concern for revision because the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 30% of Americans are obese in 2008. Poor diet and physical inactivity are the most important factors contributing to an epidemic of obesity in this country. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index or BMI. A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29.9; a person is considered obese (20% over ideal body weight) if his or her BMI is over 30.

Reasons for Obesity

Age: As a person gets older, he or she tends to gain weight more easily because the body's metabolism slows down.

Gender: Women tend to have lower metabolism than men.

Genetics: Obesity (and thinness) tends to run in families. Some studies suggest that you will have a 75% greater chance of becoming obese if one (or both) of your parents is obese.

Environmental factors: Lifestyle factors play a role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Studies show a relationship between weight and eating/exercise habits.

Physical activity: People that do not exercise do not burn as many calories as those who do. So, physical activity is a major factor in calorie balance.

Psychological factors: Psychological factors also influence eating habits and obesity. Many people eat because of depression, sadness, stress and other reasons. This contributes to binge eating where individuals consume large amounts of calories at a time.

Illness: Hormone problems such as hypothyroidism, depression, and some rare diseases of the brain can lead to overeating.

Medication: Certain drugs, such as steroids and some antidepressants may cause excessive weight gain.

Dietary Guidelines

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans report lists 23 detailed recommendations. However, the main idea of the report can be summed up in three points.

Dietary Guidelines: General Population Recommendations for Healthy Living

Balance calories with physical activity to maintain weight.

2. Consume fewer foods with sodium (salt), saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars and refined grains.

3. Consume more of certain foods and nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood.

Although there are 3 main points, the USDA and HHS have broken down the 23 key recommendations into 9 sub categories. Study the interactive smartpad below to learn more by selecting the icons. Learn how to navigate by clicking on the Help button. Please take notes as you will be responsible for the information below.

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