Newswise — CHICAGO – The newly released 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans offer building blocks for a healthy lifestyle while focusing on the importance of following a healthy eating pattern that is right for you.
“Healthy eating is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy Spokesperson Jessica Crandall. “The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines provide evidence-based, practical recommendations that focus on prevention rather than treatment of disease. These recommendations can help you live a longer and healthier life.”
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend following a healthy eating pattern. Eat more of some foods and nutrients and less of others over a lifetime. The Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat more:
• Vegetables, including dark greens, red and orange, legumes, starchy and others• Fruits, especially whole fruits • Whole-grains • Fat-free or low-fat dairy including milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy beverages• Variety of protein foods including seafood, lean meats, poultry, nuts and legumes• Oils including canola, corn, olive, peanut, sunflower and soybean.
“One-third of the population is not meeting the recommendations for vegetables, fruits, dairy and oils,” Crandall says. “Small, positive changes add up over time. Start by making tweaks to your diet like adding leafy greens to smoothies or eating an apple with lunch. Small shifts in food choices can make a long-term difference in finding a healthy eating pattern that works for you.” The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend:
• Consuming less than 10 percent of your calories per day from added sugars• Consuming less than 10 percent of your calories per day from saturated fats • Consuming less than 2,300 milligrams per day of sodium • Consuming as little dietary cholesterol as possible while following a healthy eating pattern• If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.
“Americans are exceeding limits for added sugars, saturated fats and sodium,” Crandall says. “Slowly cut back on food and beverages higher in these components. For example, drink water instead of a soda or season food with lemon, herbs and spices instead of salt.”
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines remind adults to include at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week and to perform muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Crandall recommends finding an activity you like such as a brisk walk/run or attending a fitness class like spinning or yoga.
“The Academy supports healthy eating patterns, from the home to schools and the office, and recognizes that everyone has a role in encouraging accessible and affordable healthy lifestyle choices,” Crandall says. “The Academy encourages everyone to follow the Dietary Guidelines recommendations because as a dietitian we stand by science-based recommendations and realize that healthy eating is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce the onset of disease.”
Consult a registered dietitian nutritionist to help interpret and apply the Dietary Guidelines in your daily life. For additional information on the Dietary Guidelines, including articles, videos, infographics and more, visit http://www.eatright.org/resources/dietary-guidelines.
NOTE TO EDITORS/PRODUCERS: Academy Spokespeople, as registered dietitian nutritionists, can help your audiences understand what the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans mean for them and how they can implement them in their everyday lives. To schedule an interview with an Academy Spokesperson, please contact (312) 899-4769 or [email protected].
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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at http://www.eatright.org.
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