18.4: Summary
- Page ID
- 59090
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)A healthy, diet provides a variety of foods and the right amount of nutrients—enough but not too much. How do we select such a diet? Expert committees provide us with several guidelines, including the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), as part of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), the MyPlate eating guide, and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (see Table 18-3).
The RDAs are recommended levels of nutrients that are calculated to meet the needs of virtually all healthy people in the U.S. and Canada. They have been set for every nutrient for which there is enough information, and they are periodically revised, as new information becomes available. There are many sets of RDAs, to account for such differences as age, gender, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.
The RDAs are not minimum requirements; they are recommended levels of intake. They allow for individual variation, life’s normal stresses, and enough to provide for body reserves. All substances will cause harmful effects at some excessive level of intake. As such, ULs (Tolerable Upper Intake Levels) have been set for nutrients for which there is sufficient data to state the highest amount unlikely to have adverse effects for nearly all healthy people.
Except for sodium (most of us consume too much salt), exceeding the ULs typically comes from taking high-dose dietary supplements. For sodium, the UL has been replaced by the CDRR (Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intake.
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture set up the MyPlate eating guide to simplify the process of selecting a diet that includes the recommended amounts of nutrients. The MyPlate guide divides food into 5 groups (Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Protein, and Dairy Groups), and recommends eating a certain number of portions from each group. Again, selecting a wide variety of food is recommended, since each food has a unique profile of nutrients.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, revised every 5 years, provide help in selecting a diet helpful in reducing the risk of such diseases as heart disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease, certain cancers, and diseases caused by food-borne microbes.
Practically speaking, a good place to start in planning a healthy diet is creating a personal MyPlate Plan at ChooseMyPlate.gov
When making changes toward a more healthy diet, it’s better to make gradual changes that will help you make a habit of eating wisely. Adults today generally lead more sedentary lives than our ancestors. Thus, we need to choose foods that are nutrient-dense (more nutrients per calorie), and increase our physical activity.
Eating should be enjoyable. We aim for a diet that provides for both pleasure and health.
| Food Guide | Description | Purpose |
| Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) | Recommended daily intake of specific nutrients | Target when planning diets for individuals |
| MyPlate | Recommends servings from 5 food groups, based on nutrient content | Simple guide to help consumers choose a diet adequate in nutrients |
| Dietary Guidelines for Americans | General recommendations, focusing mainly on diet and chronic disease relationships | Help consumers establish a healthy diet early in life to reduce risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, etc. |
Table 18-2: Food Guide Comparison