On January 12, 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The main messages in these new guidelines are:

Eat fewer calories
Be more active
Make wiser food choices

The main themes of the New Dietary Guidelines are:

Variety: Eat from all food groups.
Proportionality: Eat more of some foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products) and less of others (foods high in saturated or trans fat, added sugars, cholesterol, salt and alcohol).
Moderation: Choose forms of foods that limit your intake of saturated or trans fat, added sugar, cholesterol, salt and alcohol.
Activity: Be physically active every day.

The Guidelines advocate for Americans to adopt a healthy eating plan that:

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

This website will summarize the key recommendations. For the complete guidelines, go to HHS’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.

Did you know?

Walking 1 mile burns about 100 calories. Adding a 1-mile walk daily results in a 10-pound per year weight loss!