New Dietary Guidelines Are Here!

The sixth edition of Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Guidelines increase the emphasis on exercise and total calorie consumption for controlling weight.

There are nine major messages:

• Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic food groups while staying within energy needs.
• Control calorie intake to manage body weight.
• Be physically active every day.
• Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and milk products.
• Choose fats wisely for good health.
• Choose carbohydrates wisely for good health.
• Choose and prepare foods with little salt.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
• Keep food safe to eat.

Recommended food amounts are now provided in common units of measurement, such as ounces and cups, rather than numbers of servings - a concept which many people found confusing.

Revisions to the Food Guide Pyramid are under way. A new Food Guidance System is scheduled for release in Spring 2005. For more information, USDA has published a very helpful consumer brochure that can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/brochure.pdf.

Also see these other H4H resources:
Nutrition 4 Life
Fitness 4 Life