The Food, Diet and Health

Recommendations under “Foods and Nutrients to Increase”

1. Increase vegetable and fruit intake.

2. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green

and red and orange vegetables and beans and peas.

3. Consume at least half of all grains as whole

grains. Increase whole-grain intake by replacing

refined grains with whole grains.

4. Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and

milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, or

fortified soy beverages.

5. Choose a variety of protein foods, which include

seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and

peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.

Increase the amount and variety of seafood

consumed by choosing seafood in place of some

meat and poultry.

6. Replace protein foods that are higher in solid

fats with choices that are lower in solid fats and

calories and/or are sources of oils.

7. Use oils to replace solid fats where possible.

8. Choose foods that provide more potassium,

dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D, which are

nutrients of concern in American diets. These

foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains,

and milk and milk products.

Five “Diet-related Chronic Diseases”   

1. Cardiovascular disease – 81.1 million Americans have cardiovascular disease. Major risk factors: high levels of blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, overweight, physical inactivity.

2. Diabetes – nearly 24 million people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. About 78 million people in the U.S have pre-diabetes, means that blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes.

3. Hypertension –74.5 million Americans have hypertension. Major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.

4. Cancer – about 41 % of the U.S population will be diagnosed with cancer during lifetime. Dietary factors are associated with risk of some types of cancer: breast, colon, kidney, larynx, mouth, and esophagus.

5. Osteoporosis – bone disease that is characterized by a decrease in bone mass and density which can lead to an increased risk of fracture.

Top ten 10 sources of calories for “overall” consumers (age 2+), based on NHANES 2005-6 data

   Rank 1 to 10: grain-based desserts, yeast breads, chicken and chicken mixed dishes, soda/energy/sports drinks, pizza, alcoholic beverages, pasta and pasta dishes, tortillas/burritos/tacos, beef and beef mixed dishes, and dairy desserts. 

    a. For items we eat less of than we should, the calories from solid fats and added sugars seems to be the hardest to attain the limits, with 280% of usual intake. The easiest item to attain recommended limits is saturated fat, with 110% of usual intake.

   b.  For items we eat more of than we should, calcium seems the easiest to attain the recommended goal, with 75% of usual intake. The hardest to attain the goal seems to be the whole grains, with only 15% of the usual intake. 

Compare the usual U.S. diet against the “Mediterranean” diet 

compared with average consumption in the U.S, these patterns feature increased amounts of vegetables, fruits, beans and peas, whole grains, fat-free milk, and decreased amounts of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium. The Mediterranean patterns do not specify amounts of whole grains; however, intake of refined cereal grains is typical for these patterns.