Eat Smart in March – National Nutrition Month

by Donna Oberg MPH, Registered Dietitian , Public Health Seattle & King County, CPPW Schools Coordinator

March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign by the American Dietetic Association to bring awareness of the importance of informed food choices.  So what better time to review the recently released 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  These guidelines are published every 5 years by the federal government and are research-based to address the overweight and obesity epidemic through improving nutrition and physical activity.  With one-third of children and two-thirds of adults overweight or obese in the US, these guidelines are focused on how to reduce calories by choosing healthier foods and increasing physical activity.

Key recommendations include:

• Enjoy your food, but eat less
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Switch to fat-free or 1% low fat milk
• Choose foods with less sodium    
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks

It’s easy to eat too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains.  Eating out frequently and eating processed foods makes it hard to get the nutritious foods we need to stay healthy and not exceed our calorie needs. Eating recommended portion sizes are an easy way to reduce calories and still enjoy the foods you like.

You’ve been hearing the Employee Health & Well-Being program remind you to Eat Smart and Move More.  The Dietary Guidelines messages are consistent with our Health Matters program recommendations to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables and to specifically eat dark-green, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas.

The guidelines encourage us to eat more whole grains instead of refined grains.  To help you choose whole grains, check the ingredient list to make sure that whole grain is listed as the first or second ingredient. For foods with multiple whole-grain ingredients, they should be near the beginning of the ingredients list.

You’ve probably noticed information about the importance of reducing sodium in the news recently. To prevent hypertension the guidelines recommend: “reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and further reduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to about half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of adults.”

Reducing added sugars are another key message recommended by the Dietary Guidelines.  Added sugars contribute an average of 16 percent of the total daily calories and the majority of added sugar in American diets comes from soda, energy drinks and sports drinks.  A 20-ounce bottle of soda on average has more than 16 teaspoons of sugar and about 240 calories. This is double the amount of allowable added sugar recommended for an entire day based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  For more information visit Public Health Seattle & King County’s webpage on sugar-loaded beverages.

Getting regular physical activity is another key message of the guidelines.  Increasing physical activity and reduce time spent in sedentary behaviors is recommended to manage weight.  The guidelines state: “screen time, particularly television viewing, is associated with overweight and obesity in children, adolescents, and adults. Substituting active pursuits for sedentary time can help people manage their weight and provides other health benefits”. For a healthy body weight, adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week.  To achieve a healthy weight the guidelines recommend: “Adults should increase their weekly minutes of aerobic physical activity gradually over time and decrease calorie intake to a point where they can achieve calorie balance and a healthy weight”.

For more information on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, visit:  www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm

So this National Nutrition Month, why not think more about what you eat and make a promise to Eat Smart and Move More?  Making informed decisions can help us avoid sodium, hidden sugars and extra calories.  For healthy recipes, visit the recipe box.