Contents:
Nutrition
News
The
Food Guide Pyramid
Food
Guide Pyramid: Should We Use It?
Tips
for Using the Food Guide Pyramid
University
News
This issue of Health in Our Hands will focus on nutrition and the Food Guide Pyramid. Recent studies have shown that Americans are not following the guidelines illustrated by the Food Guide Pyramid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains that these guidelines provide very helpful information to the public in an easy to understand format.
The Food Guide Pyramid is an
illustration based on the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines showing the types and
quantities of foods and servings that we should eat each day. The
USDA designed the Food Guide Pyramid several years ago, and it is based
on many decades of research in nutrition. Most nutritionists strongly
support using the Food Guide Pyramid as a guide for daily meal planning.
The base of the pyramid is made
up of the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group, often referred to as the
whole grains group. The USDA recommends receiving 6-11 servings from
this group each day. Serving sizes vary. For example, one serving
can equal one slice of bread, one ounce of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½
cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta. This group provides many important
nutrients such as fiber.
The second layer of the Food
Guide Pyramid is made up of the vegetable and fruit groups. It is
recommended that you receive 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings
of fruit per day. Some examples of one serving of vegetables include:
1cup of raw leafy vegetables, ½ cup chopped raw
or cooked vegetables, or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice. One serving
of fruit
equals 1 medium-sized apple, banana, or orange, ½
cup chopped, canned, or cooked fruit, or 3/4 cup of fruit juice.
Fruits and vegetables contribute many vitamins and minerals as well as
antioxidants that are believed to play a role in preventing several diseases.
The next layer of the pyramid
is made up of the milk, yogurt, and cheese group, and the meat, poultry,
fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group. Two-three servings from the
milk group are needed each day to provide essential nutrients such as calcium.
One serving is equal to 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 1 ½ ounces of natural
cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese.
The USDA recommends getting 2-3 servings per day from
the meat group which provides protein. One serving from this
group equals 2-3 ounces of cooked, lean meat, poultry, or fish. Some
equivalents to 1 ounce of lean meat are 1 egg, ½ cup cooked dry
beans, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
The very top of the pyramid
is made up of foods containing fats, oils, and sweets. These foods
should be used sparingly and should not make up a significant portion of
your daily calories.
The Food Guide Pyramid can seem
confusing to consumers, but it is simply a guideline for planning meals.
It also emphasizes eating a variety of foods that you enjoy. These
guidelines also allow consumers to individualize their diet by choosing
from many foods in the same group. The most confusing part of using
the Food Guide Pyramid is determining serving sizes. Check out the
USDA website at http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm for more examples
of serving sizes. A visual illustration of the Food Guide Pyramid
can also be found at this address.
Food Guide Pyramid: Should We Use It?
A recent study in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition found that most Americans do not follow the dietary
guidelines found in the Food Guide Pyramid.
In this study, researchers surveyed
15,611 Americans about their eating habits. Many Americans receive about
twenty-seven percent of their daily calories from foods very high in sugar
or fat. One to three Americans receive about forty-five percent of
their daily calories from very nutrient poor foods such as candy, sodas,
chips, and sweets. In the pyramid, these foods only occupy the very
top, and it is recommended that these foods be used sparingly.
People who eat at the top of the pyramid do not receive enough nutrients,
vitamins, and minerals in their daily diet. Their diets usually lack
fiber,
antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, folate, vitamins
B-12, C, E, and A, and beta-carotene. Many of these nutrients and
vitamins are suspected to offer protection against various diseases, heart
problems, and some cancers.
This study also showed that only 1-3%
of Americans actually follow the recommendations illustrated on the Food
Guide Pyramid. Most Americans lack several servings of fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains in a given day to be in compliance with the dietary guidelines.
A problem with adult eating
behaviors is that we are teaching our children bad eating habits.
These surveys showed that only about nine percent of children eat the recommended
servings each day for milk and the dairy group. A mere five percent
eat the recommended two-four servings of fruit each day. Deficiencies
such as these could be part of the problem today regarding the increased
number of children who are obese.
However, there does seem to
be hope for Americans and nutrition. A poll in the Journal of the
American Dietetic Association showed that ninety percent of Americans feel
that nutrition is important and the research in nutrition could help them
live longer lives. Nutritionists are still convinced that the dietary
advice in the Food Guide Pyramid will help people live longer and fuller
lives.
In the research study
from the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, these researchers analyzed information
from over 42,000 women and found that women who followed the guidelines
were thirty percent less likely to die over a six year period than women
who received most of their daily calories from foods which should be used
sparingly. The women who followed the guidelines also had lower risks
of cancer, heart disease, and strokes.
Tips for Using the Food Guide Pyramid
- Try to get at least the lowest number of servings in
each group each day.
- Choose the foods in each group with the lowest amounts
of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
- Learn to read and understand nutrition labels.
Be able to understand serving sizes. You may need to use a food scale
and measuring cups until you learn specific serving sizes.
- Start slow. At first, concentrate on receiving
plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables every day. Then work
your
way up to 2-3 servings from the milk group and 2-3 servings
from the meat group.
- Gradually cut back on foods found at the tip of the
pyramid. Most of these foods will only provide empty calories that
will not fill you up.
- Many organizations have adapted the USDA’s Food Guide
Pyramid to fit specific dietary guidelines recommended for certain diseases.
Check out the American Heart Association’s Healthy Heart Food Pyramid at
http://www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/menup.html .
The American Diabetes Association also uses an adapted
Food Guide Pyramid. These guidelines and tips can be found at http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition/article031799.asp
.
- Remember that it is okay to start gradually.
Over time, you will become more accustomed to food choices and serving
sizes. Try your best every day, but do not give up if you slip.
*A Weight Watchers group will be meeting at ASU. The cost will be $120, and the group will meet each Thursday at 5:15. For more information or to register, please contact Renita Gray at extension 2400.
* The Relay for Life will be held Friday, April 20th from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday. The Radiation Therapy Program is sponsoring a team. They are also selling cookbooks for $10 and luminary candles for $5. All volunteers are welcome to join the team. Cancer survivors are also welcome. They will receive a free meal and start the relay with the traditional first lap. Contact Tracy White at twhite@crow.astate.edu for more information.
* The ASU Physical Therapy Program is starting a new community service project to distribute used durable medical equipment such as crutches, wheelchairs, or walkers to people who cannot afford these items. If you know someone in need of an item, or if you would like to make a donation, please contact Kim McGaughey at kimhairston@yahoo.com .
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The Arkansas State University Employee Wellness Newsletter is published monthly during the academic year by the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Health questions can be addressed to Dean Susan Hanrahan, Ph. D., ext. 3112 or hanrahan@crow.astate.edu.
Produced by Kimberly McGaughey, graduate student in the
College of Nursing and Health Professions, Physical Therapy Program.