8.9: What is good nutrition?
- Page ID
- 116462
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)There is much research about nutrition. In fact, it seems that there is a news story on nutrition almost every day! Oat Bran! Anti-oxidants! More soy! Less soy! What can you believe?
Even with all this fuss, the basic advice for good nutrition is fairly consistent. Eat a varied diet, plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid "empty calories", use healthier oils, and add more whole foods (like whole grains).
Michael Pollan boils his advice down to seven words: Eat food. Mostly greens. Not too much. I like that advice.
Probably the most-mentioned and least-followed advice is to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a new tool called MyPlate describing the balance among different food groups they recommend. Probably the most-mentioned and least-followed advice they offer is to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. They also recommend eating lean proteins, more whole grains, and plenty of water. Their recommendations for consumption of dairy products and sugars (that is, to eat them in moderation) were controversial - some critics think the dairy and sugar industries influenced these recommendations. The value of dairy in our diet continues to be controversial, and many people cannot digest it - yet for others, it is a valuable source of calcium.
In the Bay Area, iI notice that people can discuss for hours on end the value of a particular diet, a particular supplement, or a particular food. I enjoy this kind of conversation myself, especially over a good meal! I am not a nutritionist, however, and I avoid giving specific nutritional advice. What I can say is that, in general, good nutrition emphasizes fruits and vegetables, protein, unsaturated fats, whole grains, and a variety of choices to ensure that different people's tastes, customs and appetites can be accommodated.
The 6 key nutrients that need to be balanced include:
- Fats (unsaturated are healthier for you than saturated; transfats are especially unhealthy and should be avoided or banned)
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates (especially complex carbohydrates, like those found in vegetables and whole grains)
- Fiber
- Vitamins and minerals
- Water
Public Health Interventions to Improve Access to Good Nutrition
From a public health point of view, the key question is whether MOST PEOPLE have access to good nutrition. In public health, we focus less on the individual, and more on the population.
When food is provided for free or low-cost (in school lunches, for example, or through WIC coupons), is that food nutritious? varied? fresh? affordable? Is good food available for purchase at a reasonable price in people's neighborhoods? What types of food and agriculture does the government subsidize most?
Many nonprofits, community activitsts and public health departments have been working to increase access to good healthy food. There are factors that influence food choice besides access -- what people prefer, if food is their only affordable "treat," whether people have time and a place to cook, price -- but access is a basic first step. You can't eat good nutritious food if you don't have access to it. This short video from UCTV (2010) describes actions by the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health, talking about local efforts to improve access to good nutrtion. (Susanna Hennessey-Lavery who is one of the presenters in this video used to teach at CCSF.) Optional video.
