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Chapter 13
ECE 105
Nutritional Guidelines
Good nutrition affects the health and well-being of individuals of all ages. To teach
food habits, the teacher or parent must first set a good example. Children frequently
model the behaviors they see in people they love, and admire, such as parents and
teachers.
Nutrition is the study of food and how it is used by the body. Nutritionists study foods
because foods contain nutrients
Nutrients are chemical substances with specific uses in the body.
The body has three main uses for nutrients:
1. Sources of energy
2. Materials for growth and maintenance of body tissue
3. Regulation of body processes.
Malnutrition or undernutrition is an inadequate supply of nutrients or poor utilization of
nutrients may lead to abnormal body function and general poor health. Currently there
is much concern about excessive consumption of fats and cholesterol in the diet and of
minerals and vitamins from self-supplementation.
Essential nutrient is one that must be provided by food substances as the body is unable
to manufacture it in adequate amounts. Approximately fifty nutrients are known to be
essential for humans.
Good nutrition is dependent upon combinations of foods that provide nutritious
meals on a daily basis and the inclusion of a wide variety of foods.
Regardless of the guideline selected the common factor necessary for good
nutrition is the inclusion of a wide variety of foods.
No single food contains enough of all nutrients to support life. The only
exception is breast milk, which contains all the nutrients known to be needed by
an infant until about six months of age.
Dietary reference intake (DRI) is a plan that presents the recommended goals of nutrient
intakes for various age and gender groups.
1. Recommended daily allowance (RDA) are goals for nutrient intake by
individuals.
2. Adequate Intake (AI) are goals for nutrient intake when an RDA has not been
determined
3. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is the amount of a nutrient that is
estimated to meet the requirements the requirements of half the individuals in a
life-stage or gender group.
4. Tolerable Upper Intake (UL) is the highest intake level that is likely to pose no
health risk.
The primary uses for DRIs are in assessing intakes of individuals or groups and in
planning diets for individuals or groups. It is suggested that RDAs, AIs, and ULs, be
used in planning diets for individuals, while EAR is more useful in planning for groups.
For the Dietary Reference Intake guidelines to be meaningful, the nutrient content of foods must be
known. Evaluation of a diet by means of the Dietary Reference Intake guidelines requires the
following steps:
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1. List the amounts of all foods and beverages consumed during one 24-hour period.
2. Use nutrient value tables or a computer program to determine the nutrient content of each
food and beverage consumed.
3. Total the amount of each nutrient consumed during the day.
4. Determine if the nutrients consumed are in sufficient amounts by comparing the total amount
of each nutrient consumed with the dietary Reference Intake for the appropriate age and sex
group. (Table 13-2)
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The national nutrition monitoring and related research act of 1990 requires that the
Secretaries of Health and humans service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
jointly issue a report Dietary Guidelines for American at least every five years. A new
version of the Guidelines was issued based on the recommendations contained in the
report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee appointed by the Secretaries of
HHS and the USDA in January 2005. At this time the Dietary guidelines has come to
serve as the basis for nearly all nutrition information in the United States. The
recommendations contained in the Dietary Guidelines are based on current scientific
knowledge about the role of nutrition in maintaining health and minimizing diseases
risks
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are based on inter-related and mutually
dependent key recommendations:
o Adequate nutrients within calorie need
o Weight management
o Be physically active each day
o Food groups to encourage- a variety of fruits and vegetables, a variety of
grains daily, especially whole grains, and a diet that is low in saturated
fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat.
o Carbohydrates are an important source of energy and fiber.
o Sodium and potassium
o If you drink alcoholic beverages do so in moderation
o Keep food safe to eat
Other Nutrition Guidelines
Healthy People 2010 originated with the U.S. Public Health Service. Some pertinent directives
include:
Reduce prevalence of growth retardation to less than 5 percent among low-income children
age five years or younger
Increase the proportion of persons aged two years and older who consume no more than 30
percent of calories from total fat.
Increase the proportion of persons aged two years and older who consume al least six daily
servings of grain products, with at least three being whole grain
Increase proportion of consumers who follow key food safety practices
The American Heart Association and The National Cancer Institute also have guidelines that they
recommend.
Chapter 13
ECE 105
Nutritional guidelines
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The Food Guide Pyramid
The new pyramid stresses the importance of physical activity in conjunction with a well-balanced
and healthy diet. The new vertical stripes on the pyramid represent the essential food groups. The
varying widths of the pyramid’s stripes indicate the relative proportion of each food group that
should be included in daily meals. Each individual will require different amounts of foods from each
group according to age, gender, and level of physical activity.
 Orange- Grains=Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. Most grain products are being fortified
with folacin (folic acid) which reduces the incidence of spina bifida, clef lip, and cleft palate
birth defects(Carmichael, et al., 2007)
 Green-Vegetable group Vegetables, especially orange and dark, leafy green are emphasized
on the Food Guide Pyramid because they contribute notable amounts of minerals and
vitamins, and fibers. A practical recommendation for fiber intake for children over two years
of age is the “age plus 5” rule.
 Red- fruit group is a major contributor of vitamins, especially Vitamins A and C, and fiber.
At least one Vitamin C-rich and one Vitamin A-rich selection should be included every day.
 Yellow- Oils-The Oils group consists of those fats that are liquid at room temperature, such
as the vegetable oils used in cooking, as well as those oils from fish. Oil content is naturally
high in such foods as nuts, olives, and avocados. Mayonnaise, certain salad dressings, and
soft margarine with no Trans-fats are considered oils. In general, the nutrient contribution of
this group is low and the calorie content is high.
 Blue- Milk, yogurt, and cheese group- This group includes mild and foods made from it that
retain their calcium content, such as some puddings, frozen yogurts, and ice creams: hard
natural cheeses like Swiss and cheddar; soft cheeses and all yogurts. Foods that provide
calcium equal to that in one cup of milk are:
1 ½ ounces of cheddar cheese
1 2/3 cup cottage cheese
1 cup pudding
1 ¼ ounces mozzarella cheese
1 ¾ cups ice cream
1 cup plain yogurt
 Purple-Meat and Beans Group-Beef, veal, pork, lamb, fish, and poultry are included in the
Meat and Beans group. Cheese may be substituted for meats; however, it should be
remembered that cheeses are high in cholesterol and do not contain iron, which is a nutrient
strength of this group. Foods that contain protein equal to that in one ounce of meat, poultry,
or fish include:
1 egg
1 ounce of cheese
¼ cup cottage cheese
½ cup dried peas or beans
2 T. peanut butter
Discretionary Calorie’s
Discretionary calories represent the difference between the number of calories a person takes in from
the recommended servings n each food group and one’s ideal or target caloric goal. The addition to
the diet of large amounts of foods that contain discretionary calories can dilute the nutrient content of
foods from the pyramid.
Chapter 13
ECE 105
Nutritional guidelines
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Nutritional labeling:
The nutritional labeling and education act, passed in 1990, resulted in many changes in the labeling
of food products. The food label was revised in 1994 and is regulated by the Food and Drug
administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This resulted in a label that provides:
o Easy-to-read nutrition information on packaged foods.
o Serving sizes in commonly consumed amounts
o A list of all ingredients (in decreasing order relative to amount) on their label
o Percent Daily Values that show how serving of food fits into a total day’s diet.
o Nutrition claims that mean the same on every product.
o Voluntary information for the most commonly eaten fresh fruits and vegetables, raw
fish, and cuts of meat.
Calories from fat
Labels now provide both the amount of fat and the amount of saturated fat. Also provided are the
calories from fat. To determine the percent of calories from fat, use the formula below:
Fat calories/serving
Percent of calories from fat = total calories/serving x 100
.
Chapter 13
ECE 105
Nutritional guidelines