U.S. Government Updates Diet Rules for Next Food Pyramid

New York Times ^ | January 12, 2005 | MARIA NEWMAN

[68skylark]

Newly revised dietary guidelines issued today by the federal government place a stronger emphasis on calorie control and physical activity than past guidelines to help Americans, many of them overweight, maintain good health.

Balancing nutrients is not enough for a healthy life style, Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of the department of Health and Human Services, and Ann M. Veneman, the agriculture secretary, said today in announcing the new guidelines. The two secretaries said too many Americans are consuming too much food, pointing out that almost two-thirds of all Americans are overweight or obese.

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The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises people to reduce their intake, and to exercise for 30 minutes a day to maintain good health, as had past reports. To prevent "gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood," it recommends exercising 60 minutes per day, and up to 90 minutes for weight loss in adults.

"The guidelines offer Americans achievable goals for controlling weight," Mr. Thompson said at a news conference. "Let's start today."

The federal government must revise its guidelines every five years, and this is the sixth report. The last revision came in 2000.

The new guidelines recommend restricting total fat intake to between 20 to 35 percent of total calories, with most fats coming from such foods as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

The report also encourages Americans to eat fruits and vegetables, instead of just drinking juices made from those products, and to consume three one-ounce servings of whole grain products per day, such as whole wheat bread

"Balancing nutrients is not enough for health," the two secretaries said in a statement. "Total calories also count, especially as more Americans are gaining weight."

Ms. Veneman said the popularity of diet books and products shows that "Americans are interested in leading healthier lives, but they want credible, consistent and coherent information to help them make the best possible choices."

The guidelines are based on recommendations of a 13-member panel of scientists and doctors who spent almost a year reviewing Americans' diet and health.

One of those on the advisory panel was Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, director of the Obesity Research Center at New York's St. Luke's-Roosevelt Medical Center, and a professor of medicine at Columbia University. Dr. Pi-Sunyer said that the new recommendations place more emphasis on physical activity and on consuming more whole grains rather than refined grains, with less sugar, because Americans seem not to be heeding past warnings about consuming only as much food as they need.

"People love to eat," he said. "Food is available. It's relatively cheap. It's variable. It's tasty. People don't particularly like to exercise. Our society makes it hard. It's an uphill battle."

He said it is not too much to expect that adults should exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and more if they want to lose weight or maintain weight loss. With more publicity about the new guidelines, he said, more Americans will begin to understand how good nutrition and exercise are linked to lower risks for a number of diseases and ailments, like diabetes and heart disease.

"I think people are concerned and they will listen if we put out a unified message," he said.

Panel members said last year that the increasing numbers of obese Americans show that whatever the federal government had said about its food pyramid in the past has not been successful

The department of agriculture said then that 80 percent of Americans recognized the pyramid, which shows fats, oils and sweets at its point, widening to grains and cereals at the base. But its research also indicated that few people know what to do with the pyramid's information about appropriate serving sizes and numbers of servings.

The new guidelines, which direct government policy for programs like federal school lunches, place more emphasis on low-fat milk products and also advises the public to eat two servings of fish a week.

More details on the guidelines can be found on the federal government's Web site, at www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines

[68skylark]

I like the area where I live. But I sure wish people around here took a little better care of themselves -- it's often unsightly, and it can't be enjoyable to go through life with too much weight and too little exercise.

'Course I shouldn't talk too much -- I haven't been running in awhile and I need to get out later today.

[sheltonmac]

The guidelines are based on recommendations of a 13-member panel of scientists and doctors who spent almost a year reviewing Americans' diet and health.

Is this really how our tax dollars should be spent? Why do we need the government telling us what to eat and how much to exercise?

I think it's about time the bloated federal bureaucracy went on a diet. Let people live their own freakin' lives for a change.

[Bahbah]

"People don't particularly like to exercise. Our society makes it hard."

Our society makes it hard how? Maybe we could just have some more laws and regulations enacted for our own good. Maybe we could REQUIRE employers to install gyms and allow time for employees to use them. Maybe we could JUST GET CONTROL OVER PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM DO WHAT WE WANT. And I said I wasn't going to let anything get to me today. /rant off.

[Gingersnap]

Well, I think your remarks about aesthetics are more likely to motivate people than the health benefit stuff. Most of the health effects hit pretty late in life for the average person but the positive reactions to not looking porky start right away!

[BikerNYC]

Is this really how our tax dollars should be spent? Why do we need the government telling us what to eat and how much to exercise?

I don't know. I really don't mind a little federal money being spent to learn how I might live longer. Though if you take a look at the profiles on Main Street nowadays, not too many people are listening.

[68skylark]

Why do we need the government telling us what to eat and how much to exercise?

Well, I see your point, and I agree we'd all benefit from a slimmed-down government.

On the other hand, the government directly or indirectly feeds a whole lot of folks (school kids, the military, etc), so I can see some justification for this work.

[uncbob]

EXERCISE EXERCISE

Cut out the booze soda cakes cookies pies fried foods white bread and eat complex carbs fruits veggies lean cuts of meats chicken pork ham and limit your calory intake to what you expend

Make sure your fat intake limits saturated and trans fats ( worst kind) use Olive oil canola oil sunflower oil eat or Smart Beat Take Control Benecol and fatty fish a couple times a week

[Protagoras]

"Homer Simpson's diet is no worse for you than following the government's nutrition guidelines."

[uncbob]

Well, I think your remarks about aesthetics are more likely to motivate people than the health benefit stuff. Most of the health effects hit pretty late in life for the average person but the positive reactions to not looking porky start right away!

Ya got that right

[bmwcyle]

[sheltonmac]

I really don't mind a little federal money being spent to learn how I might live longer.

Well, I do. Did we really learn anything from this ridiculous study that we didn't already know?

[Uncle Miltie]

Eat less, exercise more.

Whoda thunk?

[BikerNYC]

I think so. The recommendation for the amount of exericse that we should have each day I think has gone up.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Annoy a liberal with this version:

[Boundless]

Another dumb pyramid scheme.

"Balancing nutrients is not enough for a healthy life style,"

Except that HHS is not at all focused on "balance"
(30-30-40 % of calories from fat-protein-carb,
with attention to fat types and low-glycemic carbs).
They're getting closer on fats, but don't yet post
% suggestions on protein & carbs.

If people were really eating balanced, most of them
would have lower/no craving for excess consumption.

[pabianice]

Until they recognize the Chocolate Group, I'm not paying any attention to them.

[Hank Rearden]

Once again, I'll just let my tagline speak for me.

[EdReform]

BTTT

[Onelifetogive]

Why do we need the government telling us what to eat and how much to exercise?

Of course the Federal Gov't needs to address food and exercise. There aren't any private businesses who are serving those markets...

</sarcasm*>