Summary and Key
Recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
The following is a listing of the Dietary Guidelines by chapter.
ADEQUATE NUTRIENTS WITHIN CALORIE NEEDS
Key Recommendations
- Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and
among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake
of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt,
and alcohol.
- Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced
eating pattern, such as the USDA Food Guide or the DASH Eating Plan.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- People over age 50. Consume vitamin B 12 in its crystalline
form (i.e., fortified foods or supplements).
- Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. Eat
foods high in heme-iron and/or consume iron-rich plant foods or iron-fortified
foods with an enhancer of iron absorption, such as vitamin C-rich foods.
- Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in
the first trimester of pregnancy. Consume adequate synthetic
folic acid daily (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition
to food forms of folate from a varied diet.
- Older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient
ultraviolet band radiation (i.e., sunlight). Consume extra vitamin
D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Key Recommendations
- To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from
foods and beverages with calories expended.
- To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in
food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Those who need to lose weight. Aim for a slow, steady weight
loss by decreasing calorie intake while maintaining an adequate nutrient
intake and increasing physical activity.
- Overweight children. Reduce the rate of body weight gain
while allowing growth and development. Consult a healthcare provider
before placing a child on a weight-reduction diet.
- Pregnant women. Ensure appropriate weight gain as specified
by a healthcare provider.
- Breastfeeding women. Moderate weight reduction is safe and
does not compromise weight gain of the nursing infant.
- Overweight adults and overweight children with chronic diseases
and/or on medication. Consult a healthcare provider about weight
loss strategies prior to starting a weight-reduction program to ensure
appropriate management of other health conditions.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Key Recommendations
- Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities
to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
- To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at
least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual
activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
- For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging
in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
- To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body
weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate-
to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not
exceeding caloric intake requirements.
- To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60
to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while
not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to
consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level
of activity.
- Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning,
stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics
for muscle strength and endurance.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Children and adolescents. Engage in at least 60 minutes
of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
- Pregnant women. In the absence of medical or obstetric complications,
incorporate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity
on most, if not all, days of the week. Avoid activities with a high
risk of falling or abdominal trauma.
- Breastfeeding women. Be aware that neither acute nor regular
exercise adversely affects the mother's ability to successfully breastfeed.
- Older adults. Participate in regular physical activity to
reduce functional declines associated with aging and to achieve the
other benefits of physical activity identified for all adults.
FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE
Key Recommendations
- Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying
within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 21/2 cups of vegetables
per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with
higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular,
select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes,
starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
- Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day,
with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain
products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole
grains.
- Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent
milk products.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Children and adolescents. Consume whole-grain products often;
at least half the grains should be whole grains. Children 2 to 8 years
should consume 2 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent
milk products. Children 9 years of age and older should consume 3 cups
per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.
FATS
Key Recommendations
- Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids
and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty
acid consumption as low as possible.
- Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with
most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
- When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or
milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
- Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty
acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Children and adolescents. Keep total fat intake between
30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between
25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years
of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
CARBOHYDRATES
Key Recommendations
- Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.
- Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or
caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide
and the DASH Eating Plan.
- Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene
and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less
frequently.
SODIUM AND POTASSIUM
Key Recommendations
- Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of salt) of sodium
per day.
- Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume
potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Individuals with hypertension, blacks, and middle-aged and older
adults. Aim to consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day,
and meet the potassium recommendation (4,700 mg/day) with food.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Key Recommendations
- Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly
and in moderation-defined as the consumption of up to one drink per
day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
- Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including
those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing
age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children
and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with
alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.
- Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in
activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as
driving or operating machinery.
FOOD SAFETY
Key Recommendations
- To avoid microbial foodborne illness:
- Clean hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables.
Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.
- Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing,
or storing foods.
- Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.
- Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods
properly.
- Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized
milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs,
raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw
sprouts.
Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups
- Infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and
those who are immunocompromised. Do not eat or drink raw (unpasteurized)
milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially
cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat
and poultry, raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, unpasteurized
juices, and raw sprouts.
- Pregnant women, older adults, and those who are immunocompromised: Only
eat certain deli meats and frankfurters that have been reheated to
steaming hot.
- NIH Publication No. 03-4082, Facts about the DASH Eating Plan, United
States Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes
of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Karanja
NM et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA) 8:S19-27,
1999. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/ .
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