| Dietary Guidelines |
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The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were recently released. These guidelines are the federal government's recommendations to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases through nutrition and physical activity. The Dietary Guidelines are revised every five years and are based on the latest scientific information and medical knowledge. The Food Guide Pyramid is also undergoing revision and will be released in 2005. The revised dietary guidelines emphasize that just eating a balanced diet is not enough for overall health. While consuming a wide variety of colors, textures and types of foods is still key, a focus on calorie intake is also very important. Total calories count, especially as more U.S. adults are gaining weight. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and more than half get too little physical activity. That is why the 2005 Dietary Guidelines place a stronger emphasis on calorie control, eating smaller portion sizes of foods and getting enough physical activity. The New Guidelines also emphasize making smart choices from every food group and having enough fruits and vegetables. They outline finding a balance between the calories you take in and the calories you spend being physically active. For adults, this usually means being active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week and 60 minutes at most every day for children and teenagers. Getting the most nutrition from the calories consumed is also stressed as important, making sure that foods chosen are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients while being low in calories.
For More Information
2005 Dietary Guidelines and Consumer Brochure
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